Among many discipline experts, former Chief Scientist Alan Finkel long argued for more STEM teachers in schools (CMM July 11 2018). And now the NSW Government is acting – announcing $13.5m to recruit 560 STEM-qualified teachers from interstate and overseas by 2024,

It’s a plan peak body Science and Technology Australia was quick to welcome yesterday, while pointing to ways to create more home-grown STEM-teachers. STA’s submission to the Commonwealth’s Initial Teacher Education review included, trialling stipends as incentives for STEM students to study education and for teacher education students to try STEM electives and a “Teach for Australia” style programme for STEM professionals and researchers to retrain as teachers.