Part-timers Teaching Council

gconor101

Hello All,

Many of you reading this are already registered with the Teaching council either through the cut-off day (March 25th 2005) or you've sent your details to the council and became registered yourself.

On that day employers had agreed to forward details of all teachers in their employ. It was deemed as a cut off point so that teachers such as many in the VEC sector who would not be deemed qualified by the teaching council but who have been employed as teachers for many years, could still be registered.

The problem is that many employers did not forward details or forwarded partial details to the council. I know my VEC were very lax in their attitude and now the position of many teachers is that on enactment day they will not be paid from the paymaster general funds.

I suspect that some readers will say 'Good, only qualified teachers should be employed anyway' and to a certain extent I agree. However, we are talking here of people who have massive experience and/or degree qualifications in their field, but who may not have studied History of Ed, Child Psychology or the other subjects that are on the Dip or BEd.

The teaching council say to such teachers, "too late, you missed the cut-off day", but these are our colleagues and friends and their jobs are under threat because of red-tape and lack of care from their employers.

Legislation is apparently required in order to rectify the situation, but it will require pressure form the grass roots. I understand that the TUI are making waves at department level but progress is slow and the day is looming when section 30 is enacted (open to correction about the section).

Please put pressure on your unions, to have this problem sorted out and, yes, once that is done then we only register qualified teachers.