GOVERNMENT MUST ACT ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF LATEST INQUIRY INTO TEACHER EDUCATION
26 February 2007
The National Tertiary Education Union believes the Federal Government must act on the important findings arising from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training report, Top of the Class: Inquiry into Teacher Education, released in Canberra today.
“There have been over 25 inquiries and reports into teacher education in Australia over the last two decades and it is time for the Government to take the findings and recommendations of the latest Top of the Class report seriously,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President.
“The report makes a number of important recommendations, including the need to increase the amount the Commonwealth contributes for a teaching place at university by 25%, from the current $7,251 to $9,037 per student.”
“The Union strongly agrees with the report’s recommendation that the Government commission research into the real costs of providing the teacher practicum and increase the amount of funding to fully reflect these costs.”
“NTEU is especially pleased by the Committee’s recommendation that any changes to teacher education be evidence based and that the Commonwealth commission a comprehensive longitudinal study into the effectiveness of different models of teacher education.”
“NTEU also supports the need to provide new teachers access to a properly structured induction program and reduced teaching load in their first twelve months on the job, and the need to encourage teachers to engage in on-going professional learning and development.”
“While the NTEU supports the notion that there be a nationally consistent set of standards for teacher registration we would be seeking guarantees from the Federal Government that any accreditation process for university courses would not impinge on academic freedom or university independence.”
Information and Comment:
Paul Kniest, NTEU Policy and Research Officer: (03) 9254 1910