New standards ... there will be more complex entry requirements to teacher training courses.
The Gillard government will seek to introduce its own new standards for teaching students, including more complex entry requirements to teacher training courses and new literacy and numeracy tests, it will be announced on Monday.
The move comes less than a week after the NSW government announced its own suite of reforms aimed at improving the quality of teaching, including setting minimum HSC requirements for school leavers hoping to enter teaching degrees.
The federal government has favoured a different approach, however, announcing that applicants could be screened for their suitability for teaching via methods that could include ''interviews, demonstrated values and aptitude, and a written statement''.
Like the state government though, the federal government is also seeking to set a new literacy and numeracy test that teaching students will have to pass before they can graduate.
Other aspects of the federal government plan, part of its broader National Plan for School Improvement reforms, include taking a national approach to teacher practicum and a review of Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
School Education Minister Peter Garrett and Tertiary Education Minister Chris Bowen will formally announce the plans at a press conference in Sydney later on Monday.
In a statement this morning, Mr Garrett said the changes were aimed at ensuring every teacher had the ''passion'' and ''personal capacity'' to be the best teacher possible.
''We are focused on raising the quality of teaching at every stage of a teacher's career. Our plan will make sure that only those people who have high levels of literacy and numeracy, a dedication for teaching and a great classroom practice will graduate and enter our schools,'' he said.
State and federal ministers have already agreed that teaching students should have levels of personal literacy and numeracy that are equivalent to the top 30 per per cent of the population.
Reforms announced last week by the O'Farrell government as part of its ''Great Teaching, Inspired Learning'' review include the literacy and numeracy test, reducing the load of new students so they can spend more time on professional development, requiring all teachers to be accredited with the NSW Institute of Teachers and developing processes to make it easier to remove those not meeting the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
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