The initiative, announced by Education Minister Paul Givan, is the first of its kind in NI and is designed to tackle long-standing difficulties in the recruitment of teachers in maths, chemistry, physics, technology, computing, design and Irish-medium schools.

From September 2026, undergraduates pursuing a four-year degree in maths or technology and design education will have annual tuition fees of around £5,000 paid in full – a saving of £20,000 across the course. Students taking a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Irish-medium education or the listed STEM subjects will have their fee covered and will also receive £1,000 per month towards living expenses, worth £12,000.

Those who benefit from the scheme must commit to teaching in Northern Ireland schools for at least two years after graduation, the Department of Education confirmed.

Minister Givan said the move was a “strategic investment” in both education and in the economy. “When you don’t have specialist teachers, the quality of teaching inevitably suffers,” he stated, noting that schools are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain teachers in certain subjects, partly because private sector salaries are more competitive.

The shortage of Irish-medium teachers, particularly at secondary level, has been a growing concern despite rising pupil numbers. Eimhear O’Niell, studying a PGCE in Irish-medium education at St Mary’s University College Belfast, welcomed the announcement. It’s really important to encourage young people to follow this path,” she said. Fellow student Luke MacDaibheid added: “More teachers mean more opportunities for students to learn through Irish.”