Schools that employ unregistered teachers could soon face massive financial penalties, with the proposed Education Bill 2025 introducing fines of $50,000 for a first offence and $150,000 for any subsequent breach.
The new measures, outlined under Section 170, aim to clamp down on unqualified individuals teaching in classrooms and place full responsibility on those who employ them.
According to the Bill, any person or school authority that hires someone not registered or authorised under the Act commits an offence and may be prosecuted.
The Bill also targets those who attempt to supervise or assess teachers without proper credentials. A person who is not a registered teacher but enters a school to oversee the work of a practising or trainee teacher without Board approval faces fines of $20,000 for a first offence and $50,000 for repeat offences.
Meanwhile, Section 171 imposes new reporting obligations on teachers whose registration or employment status changes overseas. Registered teachers must inform the Board within 14 days if their foreign registration is cancelled or suspended, or if their employment in a country without teacher registration ends due to competency concerns.
Failure to report carries penalties of $5,000 for a first offence and $20,000 for subsequent offences.
