Teachers, not technicians

Dear Reader,

Teachers are among society’s most important professionals. They exercise judgement every day – deciding how best to explain complex ideas, respond to individual students and manage the unique dynamics of a classroom. But according to Professor Emeritus Terry Lovat, that professional expertise is increasingly being replaced by centralised mandates and compliance.

Writing in EducationHQ, Lovat argues that teaching is being “de-intellectualised” as governments and education departments prescribe not only what teachers should teach, but increasingly how they should teach it. He warns that rigid instructional mandates, scripted lessons, and growing compliance expectations risk downgrading teachers from professionals to implementers of centrally designed programs.

The concern is not with evidence-based teaching itself. Effective teaching should always draw on the best available evidence. Rather, the danger arises when a single prescribed model is treated as the only acceptable approach, leaving little room for teachers to exercise professional judgement or adapt their teaching to the needs of individual students.

Lovat argues that this shift erodes teacher autonomy, discourages innovation and contributes to the de-professionalisation of teaching. In the long term, it may also make the profession less attractive to talented graduates who expect to exercise expertise rather than simply follow scripts.

The article raises an important policy question: if governments trust teachers to educate the next generation, should they not also trust them to exercise professional judgement in the classroom?

Reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and restoring teachers’ professional autonomy would not mean abandoning evidence-based practice. Rather, it would recognise that evidence should inform professional judgement—not replace it. The best education systems combine high academic standards with highly trusted teachers.

As Australia continues to grapple with declining student outcomes, policymakers should remember that improving education is not simply about issuing more directives. It is about empowering knowledgeable teachers to do what they entered the profession to do: teach.

This is also where the quality of initial teacher education matters. The Institute of Public Affairs has long argued that restoring teacher autonomy must go hand in hand with restoring teacher expertise. Professional judgement can only be trusted if teachers have been equipped with deep subject knowledge, evidence-based pedagogical skills and strong classroom management before they enter the profession.

IPA research Who Teaches the Teachers? An Audit of Teaching Degrees at Australian Universities (Dr Bella d’Abrera 2023)highlighted shortcomings in many initial teacher education courses, where academic rigour and practical classroom preparation have too often been displaced by ideological content and educational theory disconnected from the realities of teaching. If we expect teachers to exercise informed professional judgement, we must first ensure they receive the knowledge and training necessary to do so.

The answer, therefore, is not greater central control nor complete instructional laissez-faire. It is to produce highly capable teachers, grounded in evidence-based practice, who can confidently apply their professional expertise to the needs of the students in front of them. True professionalism requires both trust and competence.

Victoria’s teacher dispute continues

Since my last newsletter, the Victorian Government has attempted to head off next week’s planned statewide teachers’ strike with a revised offer, increasing its proposed pay deal to at least 28.3 per cent over four years, along with commitments to reduce mandatory meetings and some administrative requirements. At the time of writing, the Australian Education Union is considering the offer, but the strike remains scheduled.

While the figures may change, my view has not. No amount of additional taxpayer funding or salary increases will fix the fundamental problems confronting Victorian schools. The crisis in education is not primarily one of remuneration; it is one of culture, curriculum and bureaucracy.

Teachers are burdened by administrative compliance, endless initiatives, behavioural challenges and an overcrowded curriculum that leaves too little time to focus on the fundamentals. The result is that many teachers spend less time teaching and more time satisfying the demands of a system that has lost sight of its core purpose.

Teachers deserve fair pay. They also deserve the professional respect that comes from being trusted to teach, supported to maintain order in their classrooms, and freed from unnecessary bureaucracy. Until governments tackle these structural problems, each new enterprise bargaining agreement is simply another expensive band-aid on a system that continues to fail both teachers and students.

‘This Land’ and ‘Pioneers of Australia’ competitions

Our 2026 schools competitions have now closed. We have been delighted by the level of interest and the quality of entries received from students and teachers. It is encouraging to see young Australians engaging thoughtfully with our nation’s history and values. As at the time of writing, many schools are still returning from the holiday break, we are holding off announcing the winners until all successful entrants and their schools have been formally notified.

Thank you to every student and teacher who took part. We look forward to sharing the winning entries in our next newsletter.

Out and About:

ABC radio:

Colleen Harkin on The Weekly Wrap Mornings ABC Radio Melbourne – 3 July 2026

On Sky News:

Colleen Harkin on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 14 July 2026

Colleen Harkin on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 7 July 2026

Colleen Harkin on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 30 June 2026

Colleen Harkin on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 23 June 2026

Quote of the Month:

The decline of our education system did not happen overnight. For years, many recognised the problem, but too few were willing to speak out. The greatest threat to education is not simply bad ideas, but the reluctance of those who know better to challenge them. Selassie’s warning is a reminder that silence and inaction often allow damaging ideas to take root and flourish, making them even harder to address.

“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution.”

Albert Einstein, The Evolution of Physics (1938)

That lesson has never been more relevant to education. Before governments can fix our schools, they must first correctly identify what is actually broken. More money and new industrial agreements cannot solve a crisis whose roots lie in curriculum, bureaucracy, teacher preparation and the erosion of professional trust.

Thank you for your support.