“If you go to the register of health professionals in Australia, you can get a lot more information about that person, their qualification, any restrictions on their registration, languages they speak, where they practise,” he said.
“So I think there is an opportunity for us to look at how we might reimagine the teaching register here in Victoria, to create greater transparency.”
Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy said confidence in their children’s teachers was a consistently important issue for families, but urged caution in making changes to the teaching register.
“The focus should be on the quality of regulation rather than simply increasing access to information,” McHardy said. “Greater transparency may strengthen trust, but trust ultimately comes from a regulatory system that responds effectively to concerns and maintains high professional standards.
“There may be merit in making registration status and any serious restrictions easier to understand, but extensive public disclosure of personal professional details risks creating unintended consequences for teachers.
“A stronger national approach to teacher registration is also worth exploring, particularly if it reduces red tape and helps qualified teachers move between states while maintaining consistent standards.”
The Age has published an article with comments by Victorian Institute of Teaching head Martin Fletcher, suggesting that more information about registered teachers could be made available the the public. Mr Fletcher compared the level of information available about teachers to another area where registration is required – the medical profession:
Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:
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