Chair's message
2021 — Celebrating 50 years of a teacher regulatory authority in Queensland
This year the Queensland College of Teachers is celebrating 50 years since the establishment of the Board of Teacher Education and the beginning of the development of a teacher registration framework in Queensland. It is of particular note that Queensland led the nation in developing a cross-sector system for the registration of teachers, with the first meeting of the Board of Teacher Education (the first predecessor institution of the QCT) being held on 16 June 1971.
The QCT continues to be acknowledged as a national leader in evidence-based contribution to national policy discussions around a number of areas, including child safety, teacher professional boundaries, accreditation of preservice teacher education and promoting the profession. Expertise of QCT staff is regularly sought by other state (and international) regulatory bodies.
In this first piece from me as Chair of the Board about the 50th anniversary, I will highlight the continuing role that the QCT plays in the high standing of the teaching profession in Queensland, and why your registration is valuable. I will also highlight some of the plans for celebrating this important milestone throughout 2021.
The value of your registration — why this is worth celebrating
Registration is one of the key mechanisms to assure professional standing and quality of a profession. It is underpinned by clear expectations of what is required to become a teacher, and what standards need to be met by all teachers. The registration system ensures that only appropriately qualified and suitable people are employed as teachers, thereby protecting educational standards and student safety, and upholding the reputation of the profession. In addition, all teachers can be confident that their peers are also endorsed by the same high-standard registration processes, providing a high degree of confidence in your profession.
In Queensland, the QCT is committed to ensuring that the teaching profession remains standards-based, that students are protected, and that the integrity and value of the teaching profession is maintained. The Board and its committees, together with QCT staff, work to maintain the highest standards – in teacher registration, teacher certification, teacher discipline and initial teacher education program accreditation – and thus give all education stakeholders confidence in the suitability and quality of their teachers.
2021 plans
This regular eNews will feature key historically themed pieces in each edition throughout the year, in addition to showcasing the former chairs and long standing members of the Board, and contributions from key stakeholders (e.g., initial teacher education providers, teacher unions, parent groups, employing authorities).
Drawing from discussions held throughout 2020 with a stakeholder reference group, and with the support of sponsors, during 2021 the QCT will host a number of key celebration activities. In Terms 3 and 4, a display of material documenting the history, present and future of teacher regulation in Queensland will tour to a number of regional locations in Queensland to highlight and promote the teaching profession. A calendar for 2022 will be developed and information about how you can contribute is outlined in the current eNews. A celebratory dinner will be held in June, and the TEACHX awards celebration in October will also be themed around 50 years of teacher regulation in Queensland.