New eligibility requirements for head teachers

By Jennifer Leete

Federation is close to reaching agreement with the Department of Education and Training (DET) around revised eligibility requirements, including academic qualifications, for promotion to head teacher positions.

Federation Executive recently endorsed, in principle, revised academic qualifications along with appropriate transition arrangements to ensure that no current teacher is disadvantaged.

The discussions around the revision of these guidelines have involved Federation with DET and the Secondary Principals Council and result from an agreement to this process arising from an October 2000 agreement on executive restructuring.

The new requirements will replace the current (and outdated) academic requirements which were last amended in 1990 and do not even refer to some position classifications which have come into being since then.

The new guidelines will have no impact on eligibility for transfer.

As part of the new requirements, all applicants for promotion to head teacher positions will be required to have a degree. In relation to positions for which a degree is currently not required, a sunset clause would be put in place until the commencement of term 2, 2012.

The Executive sought clarification from DET on a number of matters. These are still being followed up.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.