College of Teaching for Western Australia

13/8/03
Western Australian teachers are set to have their own professional body, following the introduction of the Western Australian College of Teaching Bill 2003 in Parliament today.
Education and Training Minister Alan Carpenter said establishing the college was a Gallop Government election commitment to raise the status and standard of the teaching profession in WA.
"The college will be a professional body of and for teachers and educators in Government, non-Government and Catholic education schools," Mr Carpenter said.
"The purpose of the college is to raise the status of the teaching profession by ensuring quality standards in teaching, requiring the ongoing professional development of teachers and regulating entry into the profession.
"All new teachers will be required to become members of the college and comply with registration requirements before they may be employed in any WA school.
"However, teachers currently practising will automatically become members of the college."
With an expected membership of between 30,000 to 40,000 teachers at the college, this process is expected to take approximately 18 months from the date the Bill has been passed in Parliament.
Mr Carpenter said the State Government had agreed to fund the college in its establishment phase.
"We have agreed to provide the college with $500,000 per annum until June 30, 2006, after which time it will be self-supporting," he said.
"Members will therefore not be required to pay annual fees until the beginning of 2006."
Mr Carpenter said the Western Australian College of Teaching Bill 2003 had been developed in wide consultation with stakeholder groups and teachers from across the Government and non-Government education sectors in WA, as well as with teacher registration authorities in other States.
He said the college would be administered by a Board of Management comprising 19 members. Nine members would be appointed by the Education and Training Minister on nomination by the key employer representatives and teachers' unions, peak parent bodies and universities. A further 10 members who were practising and registered teachers would be directly elected by their peers.
The Minister said provided the Bill was passed in the current sitting of Parliament, the Western Australian College of Teaching would be operational in the new school year.
Minister's office: 9213 6800