Best and brightest offered bursary to become teachers

Children in their classroom in Dixon Creek Primary School some 50km north-east of Melbourne Source: AFP

A Labor federal government would offer Australia's best and brightest tax-free bursaries of $40,000 to become teachers.

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Deputy Opposition leader Tanya Plibersek announced the plan today ((Mon 18))  saying a career in teaching should be a first choice for high achievers rather than a fall-back option.

The announcement from Labor comes after the federal government announced if re-elected it would cancel the uni debts of teachers who commit to working for four years in remote indigenous communities.