Self-regulation of the Teaching Profession

Abstract

The teaching profession’s self-regulation already exists in several Anglo-Saxon countries. The general term for its bodies is “Teaching Council”. The first one was created in Scotland in 1965, but most now existing were established during the first decade of the twenty-first century. Australia is where they most recently and quickly expanded. The General Teaching Council for Scotland and the Ontario College of Teachers are high profile and have been the most influential in the establishment of other similar bodies, which have varied designations and self-regulatory profiles. In the rest of the world, the regulation of the teaching profession is generally carried out by States, either directly or by means of a special Agency/Authority. If the teaching profession’s self-regulation continues to be exceptional worldwide, it is because it meets with resistances, which are chiefly political and/or trade unionist. A strong argument, among others, in favour of it is a matter of fact: it already exists and keeps expanding worldwide. A Charter for Teaching Councils was adopted. In sum: There is no fully true profession without a professional entity—crossing its associative diversity—that should be the Body of its unity, the Face of its identity, the Voice of its authority, the Guardian of its integrity and the Prophet of its future. In any case, professional self-regulation is not an “Open Sesame”, i.e. an automatic solution for all of the teaching profession’s problems, let alone of education.