Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will expand its early childhood degree by offering students the opportunity to study at Caboolture campus for the first time next year.
QUT's Head of School of Early Childhood, Professor Ann Farrell, said offering the option to study the four-year degree at Caboolture campus would boost the number of qualified and registered teachers in Australia.
"The Government has set as part of the national and state reform agenda the requirement for pre-prep, or kindergarten teachers to be suitably qualified. In Queensland, alone, there are 240 new kindergarten services requiring qualified early childhood teachers," Professor Farrell said.
"This means there will be a shortfall in teacher numbers and we expect this will prompt the need for considerably more early childhood-qualified teachers to be employed in these new services.
"What we want to ensure is that we are contributing early childhood teachers to the workforce."
The Bachelor of Education degree in early childhood specialises in teaching children from birth to eight years.
Professor Farrell said as well as meeting the growing need for qualified teachers, Caboolture campus also provided students within the northern corridor the opportunity to study early childhood without having to travel to Kelvin Grove campus.
"At the moment there are a number of students studying certificates and diplomas in areas such as children's services at the Brisbane North Institute of TAFE, and we are talking to BNIT about options for their students to articulate to a QUT Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) degree," she said.
"If we invest in high-quality early education and care in the early years, there are benefits for the whole community."
"Research shows that good teachers in the early years make a difference to the educational outcomes of students."
QUT's head of campus at Caboolture Robert Craig said enabling students to study early childhood locally would be of tremendous benefit.
"We are delighted that we can meet the demand for local training for the next generation of early childhood teachers," Mr Craig said.
Future students interested in studying the Bachelor of Education degree in early childhood can apply through QTAC. To find out more about studying at QUT visit www.qut.edu.au
Media contact:
Sandra Hutchinson, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2999 or s3.hutchinson@qut.edu.au
Ian Eckersley, QUT media manager, 07 3138 2361 or ian.eckersley@qut.edu.au
