Review of Education Regulation

Education Legislation Amendments (Education Regulation) Bill 2021

The former Education Minister (the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP) accepted all 24 recommendations made by the Review of Education Regulation Steering Committee as outlined in the Review of Education Regulation Steering Committee Report.

The Tasmanian Government passed the Education Legislation Amendments (Education Regulation) Act 2022 (The Act) on 24 March 2022 and received Royal Assent on 12 April 2022. It is proposed the Act commences in 2023.

The Act amends key pieces of legislation including the Education Act 2016, the Teachers Registration Act 2000 and the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification Act 2003. It also makes minor amendments to other pieces of subordinate legislation.  

The Act makes important amendments such as:

  • broader application of the Education Act 2016 principles to facilitate an approach to regulation that is centred around the learner and achievement of outcomes for learners
  • providing for a performance framework for the regulators, including the development of outcome-based performance targets
  • establishing skills-based boards for the Teachers Registration Board (TRB), Office of the Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) and the Non-Government Schools Registration Board (NGSRB).

The Act has been developed following considerable consultation with relevant stakeholders.  

To view a copy of the Second Reading Speech, Clause Notes and Fact Sheet please visit the Tasmanian Parliament website.

The Department has recruited a project team to undertake the implementation of the recommendations.

Consultation Report

The Consultation Report summarises stakeholder feedback and submissions in relation to the Draft Bill consultation process.

Public Submissions

In accordance with the Tasmanian Government Public Submissions Policy submissions will be treated as public information and will be published on our website once consideration of submissions has concluded.

In addition to the submissions listed below, one confidential submission was received.

Submission 1 – Nelson FileSubmission 2a – Fiona Lohrbaecher
Submission 2b – Fiona LohrbaecherSubmission 3 – Tasmanian Home Education Advisory Council
Submission 4 – Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and CertificationSubmission 5 – Modern Languages Teachers Association of Tasmania
Submission 6 – Teachers Registration BoardSubmission 7 – Commissioner for Children and Young People
Submission 8 – Tasmanian Principals AssociationSubmission 9 – Tasmanian Society for Information Technology in Education
Submission 10 – Australian Education UnionSubmission 11 – Framework Advisory Council

The Teachers Registration Board Tasmania (TRB), the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC), the Registrar Education (The Registrar), and the Non-Government Schools Registration Board (NGSRB) regulate and drive quality in the Tasmanian education system.

These entities provide services for all education sectors. They support government schools, independent schools, Catholic schools and Vocational Education and Training.

As part of the 2019-20 State Budget, the Government committed to a review of the regulatory framework supporting these entities. This was supported by all education sectors.

The regulation administered by these entities can affect:

  • the quality of teaching that learners experience
  • how learning is assessed and recognised
  • the quality and safety of their learning environments; and
  • the extent to which students are participating and engaged in learning pathways.

The review will seek to achieve the following outcomes:

  • a modern governance framework that allows an agile approach to delivering critical functions
  • a sustainable, transparent, and more efficient funding model
  • a model that drives the adoption of better practice regulation focused on delivering educational outcomes for learners
  • a model which ensures the provision of independent advice to the Minister.

Steering Committee

The Minister established a cross-sectoral steering committee chaired by Mr Tony Luttrell, with representatives from each of the government, independent and Catholic school sectors, the Department of Treasury and Finance and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

The Steering Committee comprises:

  • Mr Tony Luttrell (Chair)
  • Dr Gerard Gaskin – Executive Director Catholic Education Tasmania
  • Mr Tony Crehan – Executive Director Independent Schools Tasmania
  • Mr Tim Bullard – Secretary, Department for Education, Children and Young People
  • Mr James Craigie – Deputy Secretary Department of Treasury and Finance
  • Ms Sue Kennedy – Director Intergovernmental Relations, Department of Premier and Cabinet

 

The previous Minister for Education and Training, Hon Jeremy Rockliff MP, released the Review of Education Regulation Steering Committee Report.

The Steering Committee has also published a What We Heard Report which summarises feedback received during the consultation period.

A Fact Sheet and summary of the recommendations have also been published.

Prior public consultation on a Discussion Paper commenced on 25 August 2020 and concluded on 4 October 2020.

A document has been created to help you understand the changes being made. This document shows the Clauses in the Bill aligned to the recommendations of the Steering Committee.

Education Legislation Amendments (Education Regulation) Bill 2021 – PDF Version

Education Legislation Amendments (Education Regulation) Bill 2021 – Excel Version

Ms Alice Flockhart

Principal Project Officer

Email: legislation@education.tas.gov.au

Phone: (03) 6165 6419