The head of the Secondary Principals Association says a proposed replacement for the Teachers Council would be good for teaching.
A ministerial review has called for a new professional body, and higher entry standards to teacher training courses.
The review, published on Monday, says the Teachers Council needs to be replaced in 2015 by an organisation that is more independent from the Government, can speak for the teaching profession and will set tougher standards for teachers.
Secondary Principals Association president Tom Parsons says this would put teachers on a similar footing to other professions.
Mr Parsons says the new body would not only look after registration and certification but lead the profession and act as a spokesperson for it, outside Government.
He says education organisations are not always in agreement with one another, and a revised version of the Teachers Council could act as an adjudicator.
The union for secondary teachers says trust in a replacement organisation will be undermined if its board is made up solely of ministerial appointments.
Post Primary Teachers Association president Angela Roberts says for the new body to be seen as independent it should to become a statutory authority.
Ms Roberts says the new organisation needs to be able to stand up to policies which undermine children's education.
