Students Reject TEAC’s Vision Of Teacher Education

“The future of Colleges of Education looks uncertain after the release of the TEAC report on the shape of tertiary education today,” said Christin Watson, President of the Christchurch College of Education Students’ Association.

TEAC recommended that universities play the leading role in teacher education and that the term “College of Education” no longer be protected in law. The report offered no solution for the very real problem of the proliferation of teacher education providers, particularly private training establishments.

“TEAC’s recommendations for teacher education are out of step with the anti-competitive stance of the report,” said Watson. “Instead they are making colleges of education even more vulnerable to competition by removing their special status in the sector.”

Christin Watson is not surprised by the report’s bias against colleges of education, given that the only educationalist on the commission came from a university. “We believe the report does not recognise the key strengths of colleges of education such as their strong links with schools and their long history of quality teacher education.”

“To properly address the ongoing problems in teacher education, we encourage the government to reject TEAC’s recommendations for colleges. We want the government and TEAC to work with colleges to cement the leadership role they already play in teacher education,” said Watson.

ENDS
For further comment contact
Christin Watson cell 021 35 36 10

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