Parliamentary Questions

Question Without Notice No. 881 asked in the Legislative Council on 29 November 2017 by Hon Charles Smith

Minister responding: Hon S.M. Ellery
Parliament: 40 Session: 1

Answered on 29 November 2017

AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION UNION — AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY ADMISSION RANK

881. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the to the Minister for Education and Training:
With the flood of graduate teachers in the market, the Australian Education Union is now calling for all aspiring teachers to study an undergraduate degree followed by a two-year master's degree in a bid to sort the—and I quote—''wheat from the chaff''.
(1) Can the minister advise whether she agrees with the AEU that teacher quality standards are low?

(2) If yes, does the government have any plans to increase the Australian tertiary admission rank score to, say, a minimum of 70 to enter a teacher training undergraduate course in WA?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) I am unaware that the Australian Education Union has said that teacher quality standards are low.

(2) Although I support any attempts to ensure that the best students are admitted into teacher education courses, entry requirements are a matter for the registered providers of the accredited courses, which are mainly, but not exclusively, the universities. The state does not control what Australian tertiary admission rank levels the respective universities set for entrance to any of their courses. That matter is not within my control. The single biggest influence on a child's educational outcomes outside the family home is the classroom teacher and I am working diligently to ensure that teachers get all the support they need so that we continue to lift the quality of teaching.