A ’golden hello’ and student loan ’forgiveness’ are among the incentives offered by the Education Department to attract new secondary school teachers.

In the House of Keys on Tuesday, former teacher Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) asked Education Minister Graham Cregeen what incentives were on offer as part of the package for new teachers in the island.

The Minister said ’student loan forgiveness’ was a benefit for all newly qualified secondary teachers who return to the Isle of Man after their studies and can amount to £10,000 - £2,500 for each of four years’ study.

The loan would be repaid in return for the teacher completing three years at one of the island’s secondary schools.

Another offer was the ’golden hello’, a benefit for all secondary school teachers who have successfully completed their newly qualified teacher (NQT) induction year, or equivalent, and have a permanent contract in an island secondary school.

Shortage

’These teachers will receive consecutive lump sum payments of £2,000 at the beginning of their second and third full school years in teaching, amounting to £4,000 over the two years,’ said Mr Cregeen.

Teachers also qualified for the National Insurance contribution holiday for a year scheme for new workers, to a maximum value of £4,000.

Secondary school teachers who relocate can also receive assistance with housing, subject to circumstances.

This can be a maximum contribution towards mortgage payments of £500 per month for two years, or £200 per month for two years towards rental costs.

Up to 70% of relocation expenses could be met.

For teachers in specific subjects where there is a shortage of professionals, they could qualify for up to £500 per month towards rented accommodation for up to eight months.

Mr Cregeen said: ’As in most educational establishments, across the whole of the UK as well, there are shortage subjects and there is a shortage of the number of teachers entering into the profession.

’So this is to try and encourage some of those students back to the Isle of Man.’