Reform Recommendations for Sustaining and Growing our Teacher Workforce

On 18 December 2024, the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) received a Direction from the Minister for Education to undertake a review of

• VIT’s approach to assessing applications for registration as a teacher from applicants who have completed overseas teaching qualifications and taught overseas (Report 1); and
• VIT’s approach to granting permission to teach (PTT), its PTT policy and the application of that policy (Report 2).  

The two reports were submitted to the Minister who has provided in principle support for the recommendations. A copy of the reports can be found below:

• Report 1: Assessment of overseas qualifications
• Report 2: Permission to Teach

The VIT has welcomed this opportunity to reviews its policies and processes to ensure they are fit for purpose, proportionate and responsive to the needs of the education system. The VIT also recognises the Victorian education system is facing challenges in relation to continued teacher workforce shortages and seeks to be an enabler for the teaching workforce.

Key recommendations

The VIT undertook and benefited from consultation with key stakeholders to inform the development of recommendations and opportunities for improvement.  

The recommendations in Report 1 in relation to the assessment of overseas teaching qualifications support 

• greater flexibility in the assessment of overseas teaching qualifications and making more effective use of our regulatory tools and to be an enabler for the teaching profession
• maintaining national consistency and high standards of entry into the teaching profession
• greater certainty to prospective applicants by undertaking reassessment of overseas qualification before they decide to relocate to Victoria  
• clearer and more accessible communications, policies and advice to prospective applicants, prospective employers and unsuccessful applicants.

The recommendations in Report 2 in relation to PTT support 

• a more fit-for-purpose, flexible and streamlined policy position and approach  
• reduced complexity for stakeholders   
• clearer and more accessible communications and advice to PTT holders and their employers
• reduced regulatory burden on PTT applicants and their employers, where feasible   
• a greater emphasis on a co-regulatory approach with employers, that is targeted and proportionate

Next steps / implementation

The VIT will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the teaching profession to action and implement the recommendations.  

Substantial work has already commenced to implement some recommendations including:

• published a set of principles under which overseas qualifications are to be assessed for equivalency
• the establishment a fee-for-service to pre assess overseas qualifications
• the establishment of a dedicated overseas qualifications assessment team
• revision of outcome letters for overseas applicants to better describe the reasons why their qualifications were not found equivalent to an accredited Australian ITE program and to describe what they will need to do to meet the qualification requirements
• drafting of a Qualifications policy to improve readability and accessibility
• increasing grants of PTT to be more reflective of the school year
• engagement with the Department of Education to inform legislative amendments to enable the development of employer agreements in relation to PTT
• drafting a revise PTT policy and guidance material in preparation for further consultation.