The Australian Institute of Physics strongly endorses the position paper “Relieving Out-Of-Field Teaching in Australian Secondary Mathematics”, dated March 2024, prepared by a consortium of Australian mathematical associations.

Mathematics is the language of physics and is of foundational importance to all areas of STEM.

The shortage of high-school mathematics teachers in Australia has reached crisis point.

The teaching of mathematics classes by out-of-field teachers is prevalent in Years 7-10. This lack of suitably trained teachers is particularly severe in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, entrenching disadvantage and lack of opportunity.

As a result, strategies to support and up-skill out-of-field teachers are desperately needed.

The approach outlined in the position paper is a pragmatic and much needed short-term solution. The Australian Institute of Physics fully endorses this approach.

Read the position paper.

Read the AIP’s letter of endorsement.

Read the account in Cosmos magazine.