...can access a world class education
Regional communities are well represented in the National School Chaplaincy Program, with 43 per cent of current funding already directed to regional areas.
The Government is committed to ensuring all schools provide a quality education so that their students can become productive members of Australian society.
The 2011‑12 Budget includes new measures which will benefit regional schools:
- $222 million will be provided over three years to extend and expand the National School Chaplaincy Program until December 2014. The program will operate in around 3,700 schools in total, and will target regional and remote communities.
- The Teach Next initiative will invest $18.1 million over four years to establish a pathway into a teaching career for professionals with specialist qualifications or relevant work experience, with a focus on regional and remote schools.
- The Government is also investing $425 million over four years in the National Rewards for Great Teachers program. The program will provide $125 million each semester from 2014 to reward top performing teachers with a bonus of up to 10 per cent of their salary.
- The Government will also provide $200 million over three years to provide immediate and targeted assistance to teachers and schools to support students with a disability.
These measures build on the Government's current initiative to provide $388 million over five years from 2012-13 to provide reward grants to schools that have shown the most improved performance over 12 months, including a minimum of $125 million for regional schools.
