Parliamentary question without notice | Teachers Registration Board
07/05/2015
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT ( 15:09 ): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the minister representing the Minister for Education and Children’s Services and Child Development regarding conduct investigations by the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.
Leave granted.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Content within the Registration Matters publication of the Teachers Registration Board for the year ending December 2013 has recently been brought to my attention. One table in this newsletter refers to the total number of teachers registered in this state for the year ending 2013. We had 36,834 teachers with 26,722, or about 73 per cent, being female, while about 27 per cent were male.
In this document the results of matters determined by the board were also outlined for the financial year 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013. These include conduct inquiries under part 7, section 35 of the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004. Of the 36,834 registered teachers, the nine cases of teachers found guilty of unprofessional conduct, including disgraceful and improper conduct, were all male teachers. My questions to the minister are:
1.Does the minister agree that male teachers found guilty of unprofessional conduct under part 7, section 35 of the act are overrepresented given that they represent 100 per cent of cases and only 27 per cent of the profession?
2.If the minister agrees with this proposition, and given the current issues within her department, what action does she intend to take to address this matter?
3.What programs are in place to support men, in particular, considering entering the teaching profession?
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) ( 15:11 ): I thank the honourable member for her most important questions. I undertake to take the questions about conduct inquiries conducted by the Teachers Registration Board to the Minister for Education and Child Development in the other place and seek a response on her behalf.
In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT ( 16 September 2014 ). (First Session)
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) : The Minister for Education and Child Development has received this advice :
On 13 April 2013, the State Government announced changes to the existing screening process in relation to fitness and propriety undertaken by the Teachers Registration Board. Since 2014 all applicants for registration, including renewals and Special Authorities to Teach are assessed under an enhanced screening process using information collected by Families SA together with a National Police History Check.
The Teacher Education Taskforce, which includes representatives from all education sectors in SA, South Australian tertiary institutions and the Teachers Registration Board (TRB), met in May and September of 2014 to discuss child protection in relation to initial teacher education programs. It has been agreed that the Taskforce will take a proactive approach ensuring the child protection curriculum is being included/integrated into all initial teacher programs. Teachers seeking to work in South Australian government schools, regardless of gender, are required to gain a criminal history screening clearance and complete training that addresses the mandatory notification responsibilities of those working in education and care settings.
Although any teacher who has been found guilty of unprofessional conduct is a serious matter, the nine cases reported in 2013 need to be put in perspective. In 2013, there were 10,112 male teachers registered by the TRB SA. Nine of these male teachers were found guilty of unprofessional conduct or 0.00089% of the male teaching workforce. Over 99% of the SA male teaching workforce proved competent and professional in their teaching practice.
South Australia, in 2013, had the highest percentage of male teachers (29%) in government schools compared to the national average (26%).
