MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:30PM 17 July 2003
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR QUALITY TEACHING AND SCHOOL
LEADERSHIP
17 July 2003 MIN 417/03
I am pleased to announce that the Commonwealth Government will
provide an initial $10 million to establish a National Institute for
Quality Teaching and School Leadership commencing in 2004.
The Institute will be based in Canberra and the three ACT
universities – the Australian National University, the Australian
Catholic University and the University of Canberra – will have a key
role to play in the Institute’s operations.
The Commonwealth recognises the significant and vital role of
teachers and school leaders in maintaining and improving the quality
of education in Australia. The National Institute will be a key body
to enhance the quality and status of the profession.
The Institute will be managed by the profession for the
profession. Functions could potentially cover five areas:
development of school leadership capabilities; development of
professional teaching standards; provision and coordination of
professional development; quality assurance, including of university
teacher education courses; and research.
Raising the status of the teaching profession and society’s
respect for teachers is a key Commonwealth policy.
The Institute is also being developed in response to calls from
across the profession. Most importantly, the four peak national
principal associations have recently called for the development of a
national leadership institute to be based in Canberra.
A paper commissioned by the Australian College of Educators
argues that "we need to build capacity for learning, not only at
teacher, school and system levels, but also at the level of the
profession."
Greg Ramsay in his Review of Teaching Education in NSW (2000)
stated that "if teachers are to be a true profession…teachers need
to have a say in how the profession’s future members are prepared."
Consultation will begin shortly with principals, teachers and
other stakeholders to address issues such as the full range of
functions, governance, staffing, and funding. The involvement of the
teaching profession in the establishment and operation of the
Institute will be crucial in ensuring its success. A National
Institute would complement and add value to the support already
being provided for school teachers and leaders at the State and
Territory level.
Funding will be through the Commonwealth Quality Teacher
Programme (CQTP) which is providing $159 million over five years to
support the government’s Teachers for the 21st Century initiative.
This initiative to establish the Institute will build on the
series of measures that the Commonwealth already has in place under
the CQTP and other funding to enhance the quality and status of
teachers and school leaders including:
- nearly $100 million committed to continuing professional
learning and development activities for teachers at the State and
Territory level;
- nearly $5 million provided to support school leaders’
professional learning, standards development, succession planning
and indigenous education through the Australian Principals
Associations Professional Development Council (APAPDC);
- support for the development of teacher professional standards
including the National Statement from the Profession on Teacher
Standards, Quality and Professionalism launched at a National
Forum held in Canberra in May;
- awards to recognise excellence in teaching and school
leadership
- the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science
Teaching totalling $170,000 to date;
- the former Australian Teachers Prizes for Excellence with a
total value of $530,000; and
- the National Awards for Quality Schooling with an annual
prize pool of $1 million.
Media Contact:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Laila Lacis 0412 040
034
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