Queensland College of Teachers

Background

Queensland was the first state in Australia to establish a system of registration for teachers in both public and private schools. The Board of Teacher Education was established in 1971 and registration began in 1973. Registration was initially voluntary, but became mandatory in 1975.

In February 1989 the Board of Teacher Registration replaced the Board of Teacher Education and continued to build on the extensive work undertaken to contribute to high standards of teaching in Queensland. Over the seventeen years of its existence, the Board of Teacher Registration contributed to the quality of teaching in Queensland schools through regulation of the teaching profession as well as through influencing the initial and on-going professional learning of teachers. The Board also exercised leadership in modelling and promoting teacher registration throughout Australia.

Queensland and South Australia are the only Australian states or territories that have continuously, since the 1970s, required registration to practise the profession of teaching. In recent years, the issues of child protection, professional standards and teacher education have been instrumental in bringing about change in this area, and all other states and territories have now introduced registration or accreditation of teachers.

As a result of a review of the role and functions of the Board of Teacher Registration in 2004 by an independent reviewer appointed by the Queensland Government, the Board was replaced from 1 January 2006 by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT), operating under new and expanded legislation.

The QCT’s registration framework is among the most up-to-date in Australia, and Queensland continues to lead the way nationally in regard to regulation of the teaching profession.