The community trusts our teachers to keep students safe, provide a quality educational experience for children and young people and to be respectable and responsible members of society. Teachers in the ACT need to be safe and competent in their practice, dedicated to continuous professional growth and committed in contributing to positive educational outcomes for children and young people.

TQI’s role in relation to the ACT teaching profession is informed by the Teacher Quality Institute Act 2010. The functions of the Act are to:

  1. uphold the standards of the teaching profession; and
  2. protect students and the community by ensuring education in schools is provided in a professional and competent way by approved teachers; and
  3. enhance the status of the teaching profession by recognising the professional learning and development of teachers throughout their careers; and
  4. maintain community confidence in the teaching profession.

TQI undertakes its responsibilities by integrating the direct regulation of the teaching workforce with specific strategic measures designed to raise the quality of that workforce.

The primary strategy is embedding the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (the Standards) in the teaching practice of all ACT teachers. This integrated approach applies to all ACT teachers as they enter and progress through the career stages of the profession. TQI emphasises collaboration across school sectors and amongst teachers, schools, and universities. TQI promotes continuous professional learning and development and the professionalism of all teachers in the ACT. The goal of all its endeavours is to help enhance the learning outcomes of ACT school students.

As a registered teacher in the ACT, you have a role to play in ensuring that your practice and conduct is at, or exceeds, that reasonably expected of a teacher.  TQI has adopted or developed guiding standards, frameworks and guidelines to help you understand your obligations and responsibilities as a teacher, and to improve the quality of your teaching practice.