The National Catholic Education Commission is calling for Catholic schools to be included in the Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Program.
It follows Education Minister Jason Clare’s announcement that applications have opened for the 2026 scholarship round.
NCEC executive director Jacinta Collins said that while the Government’s continued investment in the teaching workforce is welcome, it is disappointing that the program’s “commitment to teach” requirement continues to restrict scholarship recipients to government-run schools and early learning settings.
This excludes the Catholic and independent sectors, which educate more than one-third of Australia’s students.
“This is a worthwhile initiative that supports the growth of the teaching profession,” Ms Collins said.
“But to truly address Australia’s teacher shortage, incentives must apply across all school sectors. Catholic schools serve diverse communities – including many in regional and remote areas – and should be included in programs designed to boost the national teacher workforce.”
Ms Collins said Catholic education stands ready to work with the Government to ensure future rounds of teacher workforce programs support a more consistent, sector-wide approach.
“A national challenge requires national solutions. We encourage the Government to expand eligibility so Catholic school communities can participate fully in this important initiative.”
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Catholic Education calls for inclusion in Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships (NCEC)
