Education Minister keeps Qualified Teacher Status rule for overseas recruits

Teachers recruited to Manx schools from outside the British Isles will still need Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), Education, Sport and Culture Minister Sarah Maltby told Tynwald on Tuesday morning, 20 October.

The UK has recently broadened recognition of some teaching qualifications gained abroad, but the island has no plans to relax its own requirement, Energy FM reported.

The issue was raised by David Ashford, Speaker of the House of Keys. He asked whether the department was aware of the UK changes that took effect on 13 October. He also asked whether the island intended to follow them, including the exemptions now open to some overseas nationals.

Ms Maltby said her department would examine the changes. When assessing applicants trained abroad, she said, it already takes account of their professional experience as well as their qualifications. However, she said it still holds that teachers should have QTS.

“QTS status must be part of the qualification for teachers,” the minister said, according to Energy FM.

Asked about exemptions available in the UK, including for some teachers from South Africa, Ms Maltby said the island has no equivalent arrangements at present. She said she could raise the matter with officials, but stressed that keeping the QTS standard mattered.

Rushen MHK Mark Kemp asked whether the department would commission an independent audit of overseas-trained teachers now working in island schools. He said such an audit should check whether their qualifications, professional registrations and safeguarding checks meet the required standards.

Ms Maltby replied that she was open to talking about whether an audit would represent a good use of the department’s resources.

Chief Minister Chris Thomas then asked how qualifications gained abroad are assessed on the island.

Ms Maltby said the department relies on UK ENIC, the UK’s national information centre for international qualifications. According to Energy FM, the centre measures overseas qualifications against UK education standards and advises on how comparable they are and whether they are suitable for employment.