NO AUTHORITY TO TEACH

Fines likely as number of unregistered teachers almost doubles

FIFTY-nine people were teaching unregistered or without authorisation in the Territory between July 2019 and June 2020, says a report from the Teacher Registration Board. The board would not provide a breakdown of why teachers were working unregistered due to “teacher confidentiality” but said reasons why “varied from not paying their annual fee to not seeking registration or an authority to teach before they commenced teaching”.

THE REASONS FOR WHY ... (ARE) VARIED FROM NOT PAYING THEIR ANNUAL FEE TO NOT SEEKING REGISTRATION OR AN AUTHORITY TO TEACH BEFORE THEY COMMENCED TEACHING

FIFTY-nine people were teaching unregistered or without authorisation in the Territory between July 2019 and June 2020, according to an annual report from an independent body.

The Teacher Registration Board 2019-20 annual report showed of the 59 teachers, 38 did not pay the annual registration fee.

It was a “significant increase” from 2018-19, with 34 people teaching unregistered or without authorisation during the period. Of those 34, 21 teachers did not pay the annual registration fee.

In response to questions from the Sunday Territorian, the TRB would not provide a further breakdown of why teachers were working unregistered or unauthorised due to “teacher confidentiality”.

“The reasons for why those persons taught unregistered or without an authority to teach is varied from not paying their annual fee to not seeking registration or an authority to teach before they commenced teaching,” a statement said.

While the TRB was also unable to comment on whether employees or employers faced action for the unregistered or unauthorised teachers, the annual report said “it is anticipated that prosecutions will be instigated accordingly”.

According to the Teacher Registration (NT) Act 2004, it is an offence for schools to employ or continue to employ teachers who are not registered.

Teachers can also face a penalty for not being registered.

The maximum penalty for each is 50 units or $157 a unit. A maximum penalty totals to $7850.

It is the first year since the 2014-15 annual report that the TRB has suggested prosecutions will be instigated, with the past five annual reports saying no prosecutions had begun.

The TRB said responsibility of registration and authorisation fell mainly to schools and teachers.

“For some time now, the board has provided professional training to teachers and employers as to their responsibilities in this regard and also sent reminders to teachers to pay their annual fees or renew their teacher registrations,” a statement

TRB STATEMENT

read. “Reminders are sent out to teachers monthly from September each year.”