Education

Top teaching graduates will be offered scholarships to work at challenging schools as part of an innovative plan to improve outcomes for students.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford today announced a series of new initiatives in which undergraduate teachers would be offered incentives to take jobs in specialist subject areas, difficult schools or remote locations.

The Federal Government will boost funding for its computers in schools program after complaints from the states and territories that the scheme was under-funded.

The states told the Federal Government its original funding of $1,000 per computer would not cover installation, maintenance and upgrade costs.

Companies, organisations and citizens spend billions of euros a year on licensing fees for proprietary software. Could that money not be put to better use developing free software alternatives and local expertise?

Public education in NSW is headed for a crisis as skyrocketing birth rates look set to clash with teacher retirement figures.

The "baby bonus generation", representing the biggest birth spike in more than 30 years, will enter the education system from 2011. At the same time, more than half of NSW's teachers will hit retirement age.

Educators and parent groups fear the system will not cope.

Principals, school and kindergarten teachers and staff across Victoria are encouraged to highlight their commitment to education excellence and innovation by nominating for the 2009 Victorian Education Excellence Awards.