Discussion to Consolidate Education Bodies Begins

The proposal by Education Minister Jason Clare for the establishment of a new Teaching and Learning Commission is an opportunity for a national discussion about how to strengthen the national education architecture for the teaching profession.

The idea is to bring together the functions of ACARA, AITSL, AERO and Education Services Australia under one national body and the final form must be arrived at in consultation with the teaching profession.

The proposal aligns with the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, released in February, 2024 which has outlined a clear roadmap for transforming the teaching profession to meet the needs of the future.

Recommendation 5
Governments should establish national commissions or other mechanisms, which should include relevant financial authorities, representatives of teachers’ organizations and other relevant stakeholders, to assess and tackle shortages of adequately trained teachers. Such commissions or mechanisms should address labour market analyses, recruitment, teacher migration, attrition and retention, compensation, status and rights, workload and wellbeing, equity (including the ratio of qualified teachers to students), equality and infrastructure.
https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/articles/un-secretary-generals-high-level-panel-teaching-profession-puts-forward-recommendations-allow

This is going to be a complex and probably very long process if it ever happens, but the Australian Education Union (AEU) is supportive of the move.

President Correna Haythorpe said, “The reality for teachers on the ground is that they are facing a recruitment and retention crisis, escalating workloads and increased complexity of student needs.  The question we have is whether the national education architecture is fit for todays’ teaching and learning needs,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“All education ministers across the country should be asking: how does the current architecture fit the actual needs of teachers, what is the teaching profession’s connection to these four bodies, and how do they support teachers to provide high quality teaching and learning for all students including those with high-level complex needs in the classroom?

“We welcome a national discussion facilitated by the Minister for Education Minister, however we seek the formal commitment from government that the voices of teachers and unions will be central to the development of any proposals going forward, because it is teachers who deliver education every day in classrooms across the country.”

A significant piece that is missing from the current architecture is a teaching workforce arm.

“Any proposals for a new body must have a priority focus on the issues that are facing teachers every day in regard to recruitment and retention and decent working conditions. With a new proposed Commission, we need to be reassured that those matters are a priority for government,” Ms Haythorpe said.