Written question WQ92450

The Welsh Government has not yet paid the full £5,000 grant to eligible persons under the minority ethnic incentive scheme. The minority ethnic incentive grant is paid in two instalments to eligible student teachers; £2,500 on award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and £2,500 on completion of statutory induction. The award of QTS occurs at the end of a student teacher’s programme of initial teacher education. Most newly qualified teachers will then complete the statutory period of induction within one year.

As this incentive scheme only became avaliable to student teachers in academic year 2022/23 most claimants under the scheme are expected to complete their induction at the end of summer term 2024 and claim the second part of the incentive over the summer break or autumn term 2024. For those undertaking part-time provision starting AY2022/23 they are expected to graduate and achieve QTS at the end of this academic year (AY2023/24) and complete induction the following year (summer / autumn 2025).

Welsh Government records show that 45 student teachers (full-time and part-time) (rounded to the nearest 5) registered for the incentive in academic year 2022/23. Of those that were undertaking full-time provision, 35 (rounded to the nearest 5) received the first instalment under this incentive scheme. 60 student teachers (full-time and part-time)(rounded to the nearest 5) registered for this incentive scheme in academic year 2023/24.