Primary school teachers and principals are opposing the Government's plan to replace degrees in primary school teaching with one-year diplomas.
The Government wants aspiring teachers to do the diplomas after they have completed a bachelor's degree.
It says the change in two years' time - which will do away with three and four-year teaching degrees for primary teachers - will raise the quality of education.
The Educational Institute and the Principals Federation say one year is not enough preparation for primary teaching. Principals Federation president Paul Drummond says the Government's plans will not raise the quality of teaching.
But the Council of Deans of Education says one-year is sufficient and a postgraduate qualification will result in better teachers.
Victoria University education faculty dean Professor Dugald Scott, representing the council, says primary teachers with a one-year teaching diploma on top of a bachelor's degree are just as good as those with three or four-year teaching degrees.
Professor Scott says a shift to postgraduate entry to teaching will improve the quality of teaching.
