BY MACKENZIE ARCHER

Enrolments in Victorian teaching degrees have skyrocketed with new government funding now available, according to Monash University's Dean of Education.

Professor Viv Ellis said the Victorian Government is offering prospective teachers free postgraduate degrees in a bid to boost teacher numbers in the state. 

The university had seen an immediate spike in enrolment numbers following the announcement, he said.  

“I think that this increase in enrolments is really positive,” he said. 

“I expected it to be a more gradual change, but it'll be really interesting to see what factors are motivating so many domestic students to apply to our secondary teaching degree.”

Ellis said the shift was startling and initial evidence is pointing towards the new funding. 

“We know it is influencing people because we've seen a significant increase in the number of enrolled students.

“We are also seeing students who appear to have higher ATARs.”

Monash University is in conducting a survey of all commencing students to determine the impacts of the funding.

For the next two years, students enrolled in secondary school teaching degrees will have the out-of-pocket difference covered by the scheme and will receive a one-off lump sum payment of $5,700 in their first year of study. 

Graduates who go on to work in Victorian Government schools will receive an additional payment of $3,300 after two years. 

With teacher numbers declining across the country, the scheme by the State Government aims to remove the financial barriers of retraining. 

Monash University student Ted Purcell said the funding was a primary factor for him deciding to retrain. 

“It was the Victorian Government announcement that made me go and look at it seriously and really consider retraining,” he said. 

Purcell said the Government's endorsement highlighted the importance of the profession. 

“There are just not enough people to facilitate the current or growing population in Australia,” he said. 

“We need teachers to make things run,” he said. 

By fully supporting the qualification, the Government is saying “there is no financial barrier to this anymore”.