New university graduates will be offered extra support and financial incentives to start their teaching career in country South Australia.

The Teach First in Country program is among a range of innovative ideas detailed in the Department for Education’s Country Education Strategy which was launched in 2021.

In total, 80 positions will be offered over the next two years, with successful applicants to start working in a country school or preschool in 2024 and 2025.

The first round of teaching positions will be offered in September, with support to be rolled out while they finish their final year of study including a wellbeing check, induction, early mentoring, and some in-classroom experience.

For the first 5 weeks of Term 1, the new teachers will be joined in the classroom by an expert teacher to help them settle in.

Each new teacher will also receive $20,000 to help them get set up in the country or to pay off their HECS-HELP debt.

The payment will be split evenly across two years and is conditional on the teacher remaining in the country for their first two years.

The extra support is provided in addition to the normal country incentives, such as the Country Incentive Zone Allowance, and help to move and find housing.

Country teachers make up about a quarter of South Australia’s teachers in public schools and preschools.

The Country Education Strategy is focused on supporting the recruitment and retention of teachers to regional, rural and remote South Australia. Other programs are aimed at teacher development and employment.