The TDA's chief executive, Graham Holley, says the campaign is not intended to be detrimental towards women, but aims to achieve a better mix of role models in primary schools.
The training agency (TDA - formerly the Teacher Training Agency) is provisionally allocating 15, 253 places for would-be primary teachers with training institutions for 2006-07, which is 4% fewer than this year.
He added that the grant ensured the TDA would be able to fully support the drive to modernise schools as well as allocate more money towards recruiting teachers in key areas and improving their training.