Plan to improve teacher quality

The Minister for Education, Phil Gude, has released a plan to ensure high quality teacher graduates, based on the recommendations of the  Report of the Review of Graduate Teacher Outcomes.

The Minister has also announced the establishment of the Teacher Education Approval Committee.

The committee will comprise principals and teachers from Government, Catholic and Independent schools and leading teacher educators from universities. It will review teaching courses and provide advice on whether they meet the required level.

"The average age of the current teaching force in Victoria is 43. Therefore the next two decades will see a new wave of teachers in our schools," Mr Gude said.

Mr Gude outlined a three pronged approach.

"Firstly we must determine the best attributes for a successful teacher, secondly we need to attract and select only those young people most suited to the profession, and thirdly those young people will be provided with the best education and training to succeed as teachers in our schools," he said.

Key recommendations in the report include:

• the provision of 'teacher suitability reports' for applicants to universities (initially for applicants to undergraduate teacher courses) to improve selection processes and entry standards for teacher education courses - commencing in 2000;
• the inclusion of core studies in literacy teaching in undergraduate teacher courses;
• increased promotion and marketing to attract the best teaching candidates;
• annual and cyclical audits of teaching courses together with surveys of satisfaction with courses by newly employed graduates and school principals - to identify strengths and weaknesses of teacher education programs;
• increasing the amount of time that student teachers must spend in schools;
• the establishment of a new Teacher Education Approval Committee, under the auspices of the Standards Council of the Teaching Profession, drawing its members from the teaching profession, universities and employers;
• improving the quality control over university teacher education courses;
• enhancing the skills of experienced teachers for training student teachers and supporting new teacher employees;
• provide mentor training for experienced teachers who will be involved in implementing some of the quality assurance processes. Commencing from July 1999, 1000 teachers a year will be trained to 2005;
• provision of income support for mature aged recruits who are qualified in other professions to enable them to teach in specialised areas such as technology studies and facilitate their part-time employment as interns whilst undertaking teacher studies. Initially to run over a three period from 2000;
• closer partnerships between schools and universities to improve links between theory and practice in teaching;

The Minister stressed that the successful implementation of the recommendations would require the commitment and collaboration of the State and Commonwealth Governments, universities and schools.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Education, 12 March 1999)