Source: New Zealand Government
A new Teacher Bonding Scheme is offering teachers incentives and will support schools with persistent recruitment challenges to attract and retain great teachers, Minister of Education Hon Erica Stanford announced today.
“We want to help drive recruitment to schools around the country where it can be harder to bring new and experienced teachers on board, so that all of our children can get the best start and thrive with excellent teachers,” Ms Stanford says.
From October this year, teachers recruited to eligible schools under the scheme will receive up to $40,000 over five years when they remain teaching at the school.
Payments start at $5,000 per year before tax after year one and reach $11,000 per year in year five. The Scheme will deliver 185 places each year.
“Great teachers are critical to student success and delivering the world-class education our learners deserve. This Government is committed to supporting schools that face the most persistent recruitment challenges.
“The new Teacher Bonding Scheme will allow us to target support where it is most needed, and, by opening this scheme to all teachers, will help school boards and principals to have more options to recruit teachers who are the right fit for them.
“Sector feedback is clear that harder-to-staff schools want the opportunity to attract and retain experienced teachers to their schools, as well as beginning teachers. We have listened to that feedback and deliberately designed the Scheme to deliver what is needed.”
The scheme will be a $7.5 million investment annually by 2030 and will replace the existing Voluntary Bonding Scheme (VBS) and the BeTTER Jobs Programme. From 5 October 2025, the VBS and BeTTER incentives will be closed to new applicants, as TBS will replace them both. Teachers currently registered in the VBS and BeTTER schemes will continue to be supported.
“This is a practical, forward-looking solution that acknowledges school’s recruitment challenges vary across regions and within urban areas, and I look forward to the results it will produce for our young people.”
