Need For Teacher Education Standards

November 30, 2004

NZEI Agrees With Need For Teacher Education Standards

NZEI Te Riu Roa supports the recommendation from Parliament’s Education and Science Committee that minimum standards be developed for entry into teacher education courses as long as this does not exclude people who show strong teaching potential but may not have the required academic qualifications on entry.

The committee has been inquiring into teacher education. Its reports recommends having nationally applied minimum standards for entry into teacher education courses and also recommends the development of bridging programmes to enable people who don’t have the required qualifications, but show potential, to also study and qualify as teachers.

“NZEI Te Riu Roa agrees with the recommendation to have nationally applied minimum standards for entry into teacher education,” says NZEI National President, Colin Tarr,

“But there must also be the programmes in place to help people, who do not have the required academic qualifications, but have other attributes to become a good teacher, to get to the point where they can also enrol and study to become a teacher.”

“Teacher education programmes must be of a high standard and the standard needs to be consistent because of the growth in the number of teacher education courses.”

“NZEI Te Riu Roa also believes that there should be an acknowledgement that teacher education does not end when a teacher qualifies and enters the profession.”

“Time and resources must be provided so teachers can have access to professional development throughout their career.”

“This professional development is particularly important during a teachers first two years in employment when they are working towards becoming fully registered,” says Colin Tarr.

ENDS

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