Regulation of ACT Non-government Schools
How are ACT Non-government Schools regulated?
ACT Non-government Schools (NGS) operate under the Education Act 2004 (the Act) and the Education Regulations 2005 (the Regulations).
The Act and Regulations were amended during 2022 for commencement on 20 December 2022.
What did the 2022 amendments establish?
The 2022 amendments established:
- a regulatory framework for NGS
- Registration Standards for NGS
- a Registration Standards Advisory Board to advise the Minister on matters pertaining to the regulation of NGS; and
- an updated Register of NGS.
What other changes did the 2022 amendments include?
The 2022 amendments included:
- reporting requirements relating to terminations of student enrolment contracts, transfers, expulsions, and exclusions
- updated processes for suspension, transfer, expulsion and exclusion of students
- an expanded role for the Registrar of NGS (the Registrar) relating to:
- complaints raised with the Registrar about NGS non-compliance with the Registration Standards and Act
- powers to review NGS compliance with the Act and associated regulations
- the introduction of risk-based reviews
- the introduction of new processes to enable changes to NGS registration details
- the requirement for NGS to make publicly available an annual report on their compliance with the registration standards; and
- streamlined processes for NGS, including:
- a shift from five-year registration to ongoing registration
- the removal of provisional registration as a requirement for new schools; and
- simplified processes to enable registered schools to expand their operations to include additional campuses and year levels.
Where can I find the register of ACT Non-government Schools?
The Register of ACT Non-government Schools is available here.
The Register is generally updated at the end of each quarter.