Scholarships to future teachers for rural and remote areas

The Bligh Government is helping put some of Queensland’s best and brightest indigenous graduates into Queensland classrooms.

Twenty-one aspiring teachers were awarded scholarships valued at more than $360,000 yesterday at a Parliament House ceremony.

Qld Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson said the Bid O’Sullivan and Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships aimed to increase the number of teachers in rural and remote areas and the number of Indigenous teachers across Queensland.

“Bid O’Sullivan scholarships are available to Queenslanders from rural and remote parts of the state who have been accepted in to an education degree course at a Queensland university in 2010,” Mr Wilson said.

“The Pearl Duncan scholarships are for future teachers with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage.

“The scholarship winners will receive up to $20,000 to help them financially while they are at university.

Mr Wilson said the teaching scholarships of up to four years’ duration were awarded to high school graduates for both the Bid O’Sullivan and Pearl Duncan scholarships.

“Pearl Duncan Indigenous scholarships are also awarded to Education Queensland non-teaching staff and post-school applicants. Some postgraduate scholarships of up to two years’ duration are also available.

“These scholarships were named after two inspirational Queensland women who were passionate about teaching and dedicated to improving students’ lives through education.

“Bid O’Sullivan established Queensland’s first School of the Air in Cloncurry in 1959 and Pearl Duncan was Australia’s first tertiary-trained Indigenous teacher.”

Mr Wilson said the 13 Bid O’Sullivan and eight Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarship recipients for 2010 were now on the path to make valuable contributions to rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

During the past decade more than 80 scholarship recipients have taken up teaching positions throughout the state, in areas such as Mornington Island, Cherbourg, Home Hill and Hughenden.

Media Contact: Jo Crompton or Rick Morton on 3237 1000
February 25, 2010

2010 teaching scholarship recipients:-

Bid O’Sullivan Teaching Scholarships
Amy Andison (Bowen) - Bowen State High School
Alice Bowman (Proserpine) - Proserpine State High School
Jessica Eastburn (Eulo) - Fairholme College Toowoomba
Elizabeth Egerton (Barcaldine) - Barcaldine State School
Jaymie Fordham (Bowen) - Bowen State High School
Harley Kowald-Dawson (Blackall) - Blackall State School
Renee Manson (Fernvale) - Lowood State High School
Lauren McDowall (Millaa Millaa) - Malanda State High School
Natalie O’Kane (Normanton) - Fairholme College Toowoomba
Bethany Parsons (Kumbia) - Kingaroy State High School
Dean Searles (Barcaldine) - Barcaldine State School
Andrea Taylor (Murgon) - Murgon State High School
Gemma Wade (Charleville) - Charleville State High School

Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships
School-leavers:
David Gray (Woodridge State High School)
Nathan Williams (Shalom College, Bundaberg)

Education Queensland staff:
Keith Pitt (Mossman)

Post-school studies:
Clive Beale (Maryborough)
Cassandra Dorante (Mackay)
Kayla Weaver (Innisfail)

Post-graduate studies:
Sonya Jones (Calliope)
Anne Munns (North Rockhampton)