Students training to become teachers in Science, Maths, and Irish at St. Mary's University College in Belfast have voiced feelings of being "disheartened" and "disrespected" because they do not qualify for a new financial support scheme.
The bursary, introduced by Education Minister Paul Givan, offers up to £20,000 to attract new entrants into teaching in subjects facing shortages. However, it is only applicable to students who begin their teacher training in September 2026.
This means that approximately 120 current students, who are on track to graduate and qualify as teachers in 2027, 2028, and 2029, are ineligible for the funding. The aim of the bursary is to address a shortage of teachers in Maths, Science, Technology, and the Irish language.
To be eligible for the bursary, teachers funded under the new scheme must commit to remaining in Northern Ireland to teach for at least two years after qualifying.
Student teachers have presented a proposal to the Department of Education (DE) suggesting a modified version of the scheme. Their proposal outlines a "tapered" alternative that would provide some tuition fee support for those graduating in the coming years. The students estimate that implementing this alternative would cost approximately £1.2 million in total.