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Keynote: Cry freedom?
By Anthony Finn, Chief Executive, GTC Scotland
Independence is in the air. One of the most significant issues to be addressed in the new parliament will be a referendum on Scotland's independence; and GTC Scotland will become the world's first independent self-regulating professional body for teaching in April 2012. The Public Services Reform (General Teaching Council for Scotland) Order 2011 finally passed through the Scottish Parliament on 9 March; and it was then written into law by the Cabinet Secretary on 17 March 2011.
So, what does this mean and, perhaps more importantly, will independence make a significant difference to teachers in Scotland?
Teaching Councils now exist in many parts of the world, with the number growing each year. In some areas, they have very significant decision-making powers, often in association with government; in others, they are simply extensions of Government departments. It is interesting therefore that Scottish Government will grant more power to GTC Scotland at the same time as the Westminster Government is removing the regulatory body in England. This contrast illustrates a highly significant difference of approach between two countries. In England, powers will be granted to Head Teachers to recruit those whom they think might be able to teach, regardless of qualification; and the question of teacher conduct and competence will largely be left in the hands of employers. In Scotland, there is trust in the profession: a majority of GTC Scotland members are elected teachers while others are nominated or appointed to represent key interests, including parents and employers; and continued emphasis will therefore be placed on maintaining an all-graduate profession, on ensuring high standards of teacher education and subject knowledge and on enhancing the professional skill of the qualified teacher.
A smaller, independent GTC Scotland will, however, continue to act in a consensual way. In setting entry standards to teaching, in determining new professional standards, in discussions on competence or on codes of conduct for teachers, GTC Scotland will work closely with all other stakeholders, including, of course, professional associations and employers.
You can be reassured that under independence we will continue to use registration fees wisely, undertaking our statutory duties and promoting the profession and its professional standards, rather than rebranding GTC Scotland with new corporate logos! There are however perhaps two main differences which teachers might begin to notice under independence.
The first is, of course, that we are required to introduce a system of re-accreditation for teachers. We are currently looking very closely at ways in which we might develop a sensitive process of "professional update" which builds naturally on good practice and provides for teachers both an entitlement to support and an opportunity to confirm standards.
Change is also envisaged in the hearings system undertaken by GTC Scotland. At present, those who hear cases are all GTC Scotland Council members. In future, some Council members will continue to be involved in casework but we will also need to recruit a large number of appointed, panel members (drawn from the same backgrounds as Council members) who will sit only on hearing panels and play no part in the policy development of GTC Scotland. All panels will, however, continue to have a teacher majority.
Watch out for more news of these developments in the months to come. Any changes will be explained clearly to you in the pages of this magazine and through the other, usual channels.
Teachers will not see seismic changes as a result of independence for GTC Scotland; rather more subtle tweaks to how we carry out some of our functions in order to improve the work that we do for teachers and learners. It is, for example, hardly the long walk to freedom of Nelson Mandela or even the drive for independence of Alex Salmond.
We do not intend to cry freedom on 2 April 2012 but it is however reassuring that Scottish Government, with all party backing, has shown such strong trust in Scotland's teaching profession.