The VIT was established in December 2002 by the Victorian Institute of Teaching Act 2001.
In 2006, the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (the Act) amalgamated all relevant education and training Acts (including the Victorian institute of Teaching Act 2001). The Act was proclaimed 1 July 2007.
Further substantial amendments to legislation were enacted in 2010 with effect from 1 January 2011, and VIT continues to operate under and subject to the Act as amended.
VIT’s obligations
The VIT is obligated to administer Part 2.6 of the Act and report to Parliament through the Minister for Education. This includes but is not limited to
- regulating the registration of teachers and early childhood teachers to teach in Victorian schools and early childhood settings
- ensuring that only qualified and suitable persons are eligible to work in Victorian schools;
- accrediting initial teacher education (ITE) programs
- conducting statutory functions including investigating and making findings on instances of misconduct, incompetence or lack of fitness to teach.
The Minister for Education issues Statements of Expectations which set out the Minister’s expectations for VIT to demonstrate good regulatory practice, including performance targets. You can view the Statement of expectations for the Victorian Institute of Teaching for 2020-22 here.
The VIT is bound by other acts and principles including the Victorian Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014, the Health Records Act 2001, the Information Privacy Principles and the Health Privacy Principles. These acts and principles apply to VIT’s conduct and regulatory functions and govern the collection, use, handling and disclosure of personal and sensitive information and health information.
Teachers’ obligations
All teachers must be registered with VIT in order to work in a Victorian school or early childhood setting. This means they must comply with all requirements for registering for and maintaining teacher registration. These include
- submitting all relevant identification documentation and (where required) proof of qualifications and/or prerequisites, professional practice and professional learning
- undertaking criminal history checks, including a five-yearly Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC)
- maintaining their details with VIT, including changes to their name, address, phone number(s) or email address(es), and where they have commenced / ceased employment as a teacher in a school or early childhood setting
- notifying VIT of any conduct and/or suitability matters such as current or previous criminal charges.
Penalties may apply for failing to comply with these requirements.
Teachers are also required to provide certain information to Working With Children Check Victoria, such as where they are undertaking child-related work outside of teaching or where they are registered with an agency as being available to do so.
Visit the Registration categories page for more information on the types of registration available, and the Maintain my registration page for more information on maintaining teacher registration.
Employers’ obligations
As ‘co-regulators’ of the teaching profession, employers are required to ensure their teachers hold valid teacher registration. This includes
- checking current and prospective teachers’ registration status via the Employer portal and/or the Register of teachers
- maintaining the school’s teacher list
- assisting provisionally registered teachers to undertake VIT’s Inquiry process and completing recommendations for their provisionally registered teachers’ (PRTs) applications to move to full registration
- initiating the application process to grant permission to teach for prospective teachers who do not hold the relevant qualifications for registration.
Employers also have obligations to report teacher and conduct matters.
Visit the Support my teachers page for more information and resources for employers.
Last updated: 07 Sep 2022