NSW Teachers: Education standards

By NSW Teachers Federation 21 January 2014

Recent announcements by NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli have sparked debate over the issue of teaching quality. The Minister and university representatives have expressed differing views  about ensuring high standards in the teaching profession.

Mr Piccoli was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald saying, “the main factor damaging the status of the profession was the perception that anyone can get into teaching.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, Michael Spence said in the same article, “I think the question about the quality of the employees in the NSW teaching workforce is not an issue for the universities to solve, it's an issue for the NSW government as an employer to solve.”

In response to the issue, Federation Deputy President, Gary Zadkovich, said, “It should not be an either/or debate. The Federation believes quality schooling requires high standards of entry into university teaching courses and rigorous performance and development processes for practising teachers.”

A discussion paper on teaching quality was commissioned by the Minister in 2012.  The paper, entitled Great Teaching, Inspired Learning, addressed initial teacher education and entry into the profession. The paper describes the responsibilities of both universities and employers in developing teaching quality.

It says, “Teaching will attract more of the brightest and motivated school leavers and career changers. NSW teacher education programs will produce high quality graduates with personal attributes suited to teaching.”

In regards to the responsibilities of the department, it says, “All beginning teachers will receive a high quality induction program to support their entry into the teaching profession. All beginning teachers will receive high quality support to enhance their teaching skills during their first year of teaching.”

The Federation supports initiatives to ensure high standards in the teaching profession.

In March 2013,  Federation President Maurie Mulheron said, “For years we have called for action by governments to raise the status of the teaching profession. For too long, however, governments have not backed up their political rhetoric with policies that teachers can support, together with the resources necessary to implement them effectively.

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Department of Education and Communities to ensure that the highest standards apply at all points in a teacher’s professional preparation and throughout one’s teaching career.”