weekly hansard - Queensland Parliament - Queensland Government

2584 Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Bill 23 Aug 2005
professional standards and provide new levels of student safety. There will be a new Queensland
College of Teachers to replace the Board of Teacher Registration. This Queensland College of Teachers
will oversee the most comprehensive changes to the registration of teachers in our state’s history.
In March last year our government commissioned a review of teacher registration by Professor
Marilyn McMenniman, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Arts and Education), Griffith University. The outcome of that
review, entitled The report of the review of the functions and powers of the Board of Teacher
Registration, was tabled in this House. It made 84 recommendations for change.
This bill now provides for the implementation of those recommendations of the review requiring
legislation. There has been extensive consultation as part of the review and the preparation of this bill.
There was a reference group comprising all major stakeholders, and during the consultation period
forums were held throughout Queensland with teachers, peak stakeholder bodies and the general
public.
The bill, amongst other things—
• requires renewal of teacher registration every five years;
• requires teachers to prove that they:
- are suitable to teach (including criminal history checks);
- have maintained an adequate connection with the profession and, if so;
- have undertaken continuing professional learning.
• allows the Queensland College of Teachers to hear and deal with complaints about a teacher’s
conduct or practice and to conduct investigations to determine whether a matter should be taken
to a disciplinary body;
• establishes a committee of the board of the college, the Professional Practice and Conduct
Committee, to enable investigations and low-level disciplinary matters to be dealt with efficiently
and in a timely manner;
• establishes an independent Teachers Disciplinary Committee to hear and determine serious
disciplinary matters.
I seek leave to have the remainder of my second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.
Leave granted.
A new Queensland College of Teachers will replace the Board of Teacher Registration with enhanced responsibility for developing
professional standards and registration of teachers, including conduct of criminal history checks, approval of entry courses and
conduct of disciplinary processes.
The primary focus of the Queensland College of Teachers is to uphold the standards of the teaching profession, maintain public
confidence in the profession and protect the public.
A key function of the new College will be the development and implementation of Professional Standards. They will describe the
abilities, experience, knowledge and skills expected of teachers.
These standards will become the benchmarks for granting provisional and full registration and for renewal of registration.
They will also be the key to identifying acceptable pre-service teacher education programs, re-entry programs and teaching
experience requirements for full registration.
These requirements will also give teachers a personal opportunity to update their skills, gain personal professional development
opportunities and for Queensland’s teaching profession to maintain and renew its teaching excellence.
Persons who are not registered to teach in Queensland will not be permitted to teach in schools without receiving a ‘Permission to
Teach’ in specific circumstances which replaces the current ‘authorisation’ process.
The Bill also introduces a two-tiered approach for dealing with disciplinary issues:
The ‘Professional Practice and Conduct Committee’:
This is a committee of the Board of the College that will hear matters that could result in a low-level sanction such as cautioning,
reprimanding the registrant, or entering into an undertaking.
And the ‘Teachers Disciplinary Committee’:
This is an independent committee that will hear matters that could lead to high-level disciplinary sanctions such as suspension or
cancellation of registration.
It will be chaired by a legal practitioner, with additional membership drawn from registered peers, and other persons representing
the community. The independence of this Committee is achieved by ensuring there is no common membership with the Board of
the College.
The ability to refer cases to such an independent disciplinary body parallels our legal system by separating the roles of those who
investigate and prosecute from those who make a final determination.
The College will have the ability to investigate complaints in relation to a teacher’s eligibility or suitability to be registered where a
ground for disciplinary action can be established.
The Bill also ensures the ongoing safety of Queensland children by:
• The immediate cancellation of a teacher’s registration where they are convicted of a serious sexual offence involving a
child and a custodial sentence or disqualification order is imposed.
• The discretionary power to suspend a teacher’s registration if they are believed to pose an imminent risk of harm to
children.