Members have contacted TUI directly with queries related to the Teaching Council on behalf of themselves or NQTs. The TUI has been given an update by the Teaching Council which may address many of the queries being received.
- NQT Summer Registration Process
Following the 12 March lockdown the Council decided to move the NQT summer registration process online and reduce manual processes. This is the fast-track process where the HEIs transfer the graduate results to the Council once the exam boards/courts have occurred and results are finalised. The registration process can only commence after this transfer. The results are then queued and processed in sequence. All NQTs were asked to complete vetting over the past few months. NQTs may submit the application for vetting including the signed consent form and required identity documents by email to vetting@teachingcouncil.ie .
Emails with the relevant instructions are issued to the NQTs and when ready the NQTs are provided with a pin and asked to log in to the Council system to confirm that their records are correct, make their declarations and pay the initial registration fee. All this is done online. Currently the TC have started to register graduate teachers and are working through the registrations in sequence. In order to ensure a fair and equitable process, all NQTs will be dealt with in rotation and in order of transfer date.
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- Renewal of Registration
In March, the Council gave an undertaking not to remove any teacher from the Register for non-payment of fees. During the past few months a number of teachers have not renewed their registration despite additional reminders being sent by email and SMS. As the country moves into Phase 4, the Teaching Council has begun to issue the 28-day notification letter. This means that teachers will be given 28 days final notice to pay their renewal fee before lapsing from the Register.
Starting this week, 13 July 2020, teachers with renewal dates up to the end of March 2020 are being asked to now pay their registration renewal fee within 28 days. Then on the week beginning the 28 July 2020, teachers with renewal dates up to and including June 2020 will be issued with the 28 day notification.
As you are all aware this means that should teachers lapse they are then not eligible to receive a State-funded salary and must re-apply for registration. This may include vetting and provision of qualification documentation if the Council does not already hold valid documentation for the teacher. Furthermore it is not possible to back date re-registrations to cover periods of non-registration.
- Expiring Conditions and Extension Requests
The Council as extended the time frame for all teachers with conditions expiring between March and September given the exceptional nature of the past few months. Currently all the teachers involved being communicated with and their records updated. In line with re-opening the country, teachers with conditions expiring in October 2020 have being asked to either forward evidence that they have completed their conditions or to request an extension to that time. Extension Request Forms (EXT-01 Forms) with supporting documentation can be submitted by email as soon as possible to conditions@teachingcouncil.ie
- Droichead
As in all school years the month of July sees the greatest number of Form Ds being submitted to the Council by NQTs who have completed the Droichead process. The TC are processing the Form D in rotation and updating teachers’ registrations accordingly. In addition, the TC are actively looking at providing guidance in relation to the operation of Droichead in 2020/2021 and updating the Transitionary Arrangements to provide additional flexibility to teachers who partially completed Droichead this year. These documents will be published on the Council’s website at the start of the new school year.
- Re-Vetting
Currently the mainstream re-vetting of teachers will remain on hold. This process will re-commence in the new school year and notifications will be issued to the relevant teachers 6 months in advance of their renewal dates. Teachers who are currently registered or previously registered with the Council may submit the required documentation including a scanned signed consent form by email.