The Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) was established in 2014 to advise the Government on how teacher education courses could better ensure new teachers have the right mix of academic and practical skills needed for the classroom.
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The Australian Government knows that having well-trained and knowledgeable teachers provides the foundation for a strong, high-quality education system. While Australia has a high-quality teaching workforce, there continues to be room for improvement.
In April 2014 a TEMAG issues paper was released and an extensive consultation process began. More than 170 submissions in response to the TEMAG issues paper were received. TEMAG then reviewed wide-ranging evidence, international best practice, and commissioned research before issuing their final report, Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers, in late 2014. The Government considered the final report and delivered the Australian Government response to the TEMAG report in early 2015.
The report and Government response both focus on changes to initial teacher education that are practical and achievable, including:
- stronger quality assurance of teacher education courses
- rigorous selection for entry to teacher education courses
- improved and structured practical experience for teacher education students
- robust assessment of graduates to ensure classroom readiness
- national research and workforce planning capabilities.
In the 2015–16 Budget, the Australian Government announced funding of $16.9 million between 2015–16 and 2018–19 to implement initiatives outlined in its response to the report.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership led work to implement changes to initial teacher education, along with higher education providers, regulators, and employers in line with the Government's response.