Teacher shortage in Victoria

ATAR, Teaching, Victoria, Schools, Australian Education Union, Meredith Peace

Victoria needs more teachers to match the 90,000 extra students enrolling in Victorian schools over the next four years.  Head of the Australian Education Union (AEU) in Victoria, Meredith Peace said, “We need in excess of 1,300 teachers a year to cope with that growth”.

As of 2019, A Victorian teaching degree will require high school graduates to attain an ATAR of 70.  In 2016, an ATAR of less than 60 was attained by a quarter of students who commenced a teaching course. 

In the past, some universities have been admitting people with an ATAR of 20-30 which is well below the requirement.  Ms Peace stated, “There is not enough rigour around entry standards and not enough rigour around what is being taught in those courses… It’s an income stream for universities.”