Chief Scientist Suggests: $10,000 Up Front for Students Who Agree to Teach Maths and Science Once They Completed Their Degree. (September 4, 2012)

Two-and-a-half months ago Australia's Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb noted that the halving of HECS fees for maths and science introduced in 2009 had only a marginal effect in raising university enrolments. It was discontinued last year.

In its place Professor Chubb suggests that the government should offer a $10,000 carrot to maths and science graduates who were prepared to undertake to teach maths and science in primary and secondary schools with the proviso that "if you work in that profession for a period of time there is a sliding discount to zero and after a suitable period of time you don't owe anything," i.e. four years of professional teaching service would equal full repayment while those reneging would be liable for repaying part of the sum.

Professor Chubb noted: "This is a contemporary variation of what happened when we needed teachers in the 1960s and 1970s... I'm not afraid of mutual obligation with shared responsibility."

This week's TFW editorial asks: "Do Chief Scientific Advisors Speak Only to the Hand?" Well, in her hour-long address to the National Press Club yesterday on the Government's response to the Review of Funding for Schooling, neither the Chief Scientist nor his suggestion got a mention, while the Opposition's education spokesman and Manager of Opposition Business in the House, Christopher Pyne, indicated that any increase in funding for schools was a matter for the states.

So much for improving and planting the seed corn.