'We need to work together to fix it': Ministers, educators meet to address teacher shortage crisis

Amid widespread, nationwide concern of burnt out and demoralised educators, federal, state and territory education ministers will attend the roundtable along with principals, teachers, unions and other experts.

Ways to entice students to study teaching and better encouragement for established teachers to stay in the workforce will be canvassed.

There have been calls from universities for longer school internship placements for final year students and teaching apprenticeships or fast-tracking qualifications. Unions want pay rises, while the NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has flagged higher paid roles for outstanding teachers - a "prestige" career path to inspire teachers and stem the brain drain.

It has merit, among other ideas to be thrashed around like mentoring and help with classroom management, according to Mr Clare.

"I think it's a good one. It's one that I'll encourage Sarah to talk about in a bit more detail," the Minister said.

"Sarah made the point, I think it's right, that first year teachers start on a pretty competitive salary and then it goes up in grades for about 10 years and then it tops out.

"So if you're a teacher after 10 years and you're looking to move up a grade, you either leave the classroom to become an assistant principal or you leave the profession all together and that means that we're losing some incredibly talented people. So we've got to look at new ways that we can create career paths for people."

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The teachers unions are optimistic the roundtable could lead to a plan to fix the complex issues facing the profession.

Independent Education Union NSW/ACT secretary Mark Northam said the 11 Catholic dioceses in the ACT and NSW were estimating there will be a shortage of 3500 teachers in Catholic systemic schools by the end of the decade.

"That's an extraordinary number just in Catholic systemic schools. And what we've got here is a perfect storm in the sense of government figures ... on student enrollments across all sectors are going up by 10 to 11 per cent from 2021 to 2031," he said.

"At the same time, numbers of students, whether they're fresh out of school or mature-age entries into teacher education, are plummeting by 30 per cent."

Mr Northam said increased classroom release time to allow teachers to plan and develop their skills alongside mentors was essential to improving working conditions and keeping early career teachers in the industry.

Australian Education Union ACT president Angela Burroughs said there was concern about some of the measures floated ahead of the roundtable that would fast-track the qualifications of new teachers.

"We can't diminish the quality of an education qualification. It's not a chef apprenticeship. We need quality learning," Ms Burroughs said.

She said the fact that teachers, principals and their federal union representatives would be present at the roundtable discussion has boosted the hopes of the profession at a difficult time.

"Symbolically, it's a glimmer of hope in an environment which has become increasingly challenging and stressful for our teachers and principals."

Mr Clare, who said he was keen to "stop and listen" to teachers and principals, appeared less favourable to fast-tracking qualifications.

But he regarded expanding internships for final-year undergraduate or postgraduate students as a "good idea."

While COVID-19 had a cruel impact on the teaching workforce, Mr Clare said the shortage was due to bigger factors and ultimately comes down to respect and recognition.

"There aren't many more jobs more important than being a teacher," he said. "Paul Keating used to describe education as being the keys to the kingdom. You know, that master key that unlocks every door? Now, if that's right, I think it is then our teachers are the key makers."

"This is one of the biggest issues facing education at the moment, the shortage of teachers.

"We need to work together to fix it."

Mr Clare also flagged that the Labor election pledge to attract students to the teaching profession, such as bursaries worth up to $40,000, will be delivered in the October budget.