New Zealand Teachers Council's Functions
The purpose of the NZ Teachers Council as defined in the Education Act (1989) Section 139AA is: "to provide professional leadership in teaching, enhance the professional status of teachers in schools and early childhood education, and contribute to a safe and high quality teaching and learning environment for children and other learners."
Functions
The New Zealand Teachers Council has both regulatory functions and professional leadership functions. The most significant of these are to:
- support teachers' knowledge and understanding of the standards and commitments of the teaching profession, including the Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers, and to consult on key policy developments
- set the standards to enter teaching and maintain on-going membership in the profession
- set the requirements for and approve initial teacher education programmes
- carry out processes for registration of teachers
- carry out processes for dealing with issues of competence and discipline of teachers
- commission or carry out research to support quality teaching and the other functions of the Council
- provide professional leadership and encourage best practice in teaching.
Powers
- Mandatory reporting of teacher misconduct and/or incompetence
- Wider power to receive complaints
- Power of inquiry
- Range of outcomes
- Appeals.
For the full list of functions and powers, go to Education Act (1989) on www.legislation.govt.nz