UK Ammends QTS Requirements for Teachers

Zimbabwe was among the four source markets recently added to list countries targeted for teacher recruitment by the United Kingdom, including Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.

The opportunity for teachers in the four countries would be open effective the beginning of February this year under the UK’s Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) programme. The UK has now announced an amendment to the initial eligibility criteria for job applicants.

The Department for Education had only stated that applicants who major in subjects such as Mathematics, Sciences and some Language Subjects are eligible to apply. According to a statement earlier published on its website, interested applicants were asked to apply for the QTS through the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

The information had stated that teachers from all eligible countries would have to show they meet a consistent set of criteria for the award of the QTS. In the amended eligibility criteria, some subjects were removed while other qualifications were added.

As seen on the UK government website, the corrected notice disclosed that there will be a subject eligibility restriction in some countries including Nigeria, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

According to the UK government, the move was to ensure it offers efficient and consistent service to all applicants for the job.

Among the reasons it gave for the amendment was for UK to prioritise the subject specialisms that are needed by schools in England. While disclosing that the restriction of the subject eligibility is temporary, the government said the change would allow it handle applications timely as they are being received.

It noted that countries affected would continue to be updated on further steps and that other subjects of some areas of specialisations would be opened by May 2023. Other qualifications added for applicants from Ghana, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa or Zimbabwe included that they must also have one of the qualifications it newly released.

The qualifications are:

• A teaching qualification that meets the standard of a level 6 qualification qualifying you to teach children aged 11 to 16 in mathematics, languages or science;
• A teaching qualification that meets the standard of a level 6 qualification qualifying you to teach children aged 11 to 16, and
• A bachelor’s degree made up of at least 50% mathematics, science or a language (excluding English) taught in English state schools, for example: French, German. Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish.