SYDNEY - The NSW government is offering 300 teacher scholarships worth up to $23,000 each to students who agree to teach in the state's hard-to-staff schools.

Applications are now open for the $7 million scholarship program, which requires students to commit to schools in areas such as western Sydney and regional NSW for three years.

MELBOURNE - Victorian teachers want more resources to keep years 8 and 9 students on track by offering a broader curriculum.

Australian Education Union (AEU) state president Mary Bluett says years 8 and 9 are the difficult years for students, when they can become "disengaged with their education".

ADELAIDE - Principals in South Australian public schools will have more power to recruit staff under proposed state government reforms to revitalise public education.

The government also says teachers will no longer be forced to move schools every 10 years and those working on contracts will be given more opportunities to switch to permanent employment under the changes.

PERTH - A Catholic primary school principal in Perth has apologised to parents after a student dressed as Adolf Hitler won first place in class on a school dress-up day.

A letter went out to parents on Wednesday after some complained the costume should not have been allowed at the inner-city school.