TEN student teachers at Edith Cowan University’s South West Campus will get the opportunity to finish their fourth year of study at Kingston Primary School after the Department of Education and Training and ECU signed a memorandum of agreement.

ECU South West dean Robert Irvine said the internship was a WA first.

“We have always had a really close relationship with local schools and the Education Department and this is just an extension of that,” he said.

“(Students) will become part of the staff, be paid and have senior teachers helping them through.”

Mr Irvine said students in the internship would benefit greatly.

“They are going to be in a school with a senior person looking after them, they will be part of that school and then they will be part of the Education Department,” he said.

“We will have really good, experienced teachers coming out the other end.

“We’re very pleased to be able to do it.”

Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan announced the agreement yesterday and said the students would be given hands on experience.

“The program remodels the fourth year syllabus by integrating theory with practical lessons,” he said.

“Kingston Primary School will be responsible for selecting 10 accomplished teachers, based on merit, to coach and mentor interns.

“The university will select lecturers who will also provide a coaching, mentoring and support service to interns.”

Interns would be eligible to undertake relief teaching in term two and will be guaranteed employment in a public school following successful completion of their internship.