When you tell people you are a teacher, you often experience a certain kind of prejudice and assumption that “Oh, things must be really tough.” This is because the majority of the unintentional teachers are pursuing teaching as a result of unemployment and as a means to making ends meet.
People would typically look for ways to make a living as a result of unemployment. Employment has been one of the major social facades wreaking havoc across multiple developing nations. The population of Nigeria has increased by 55 percent since the last Census, which indicates 24,329 Live births per day which ultimately means that 1,013.69 children are born every hour. Childbearing is on the rise. Hence, a greater need for teachers.
Due to the growing demand in the industry coupled with the unemployment rate, remuneration is typically low and barely sufficient but, In June 2022, the Department of Education (DFE) developed a fairer approach to awarding Quality Teacher Status (QTS) to international teachers seeking to work and practice in the UK.
In this blog, we talked about the QTS status, what it means, the requirements, the International Relocation Payment (IRP), and how you can determine your eligibility.
What does QTS status mean?
Qualified teacher status (QTS) is a legal prerequisite for teaching in most schools in the UK, and it is also considered important for teachers in the majority of the schools in England. Also, from February 1, 2023, Nigerians with subject specialization in languages, mathematics, or science and a teaching qualification to teach 11 to 16 years old will be able to use the service to check if they meet the requirements for QTS and apply:
As a Nigerian, here are the checklists and must-haves in order to be awarded a QTS;
1. You must possess an undergraduate degree that meets the same academic requirements as a bachelor’s degree in the UK, as determined by UK ENIC.
2. You must have completed teacher training that satisfies the requirements for a level 6 qualification and is at least as long as an English initial teacher training course, such as a Bachelor of Education or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and have done so with a course that focuses on both pedagogy and practice.
3. You need to possess at least one school year (a minimum of 9 months including school breaks but excluding time off used for any other reason),
4. You must be qualified to teach students between the ages of 5 and 16 and to work as a teacher after obtaining the necessary certification and possessing the necessary professional status
5. You must possess the certification required to teach in the nation where you obtained it and not be subject to any limitations or conditions on their practice.
6. Your medium of instruction at the undergraduate level must be English. You’ll be required to provide a letter of English language proficiency.
7. IELTS SELT Consortium – 5.5
8. You must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% of the required subjects—math, science, or a language other than English—taught in English state schools; a teaching certification that meets the requirements of a level 6 certification; for example French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish
9. You’ll need to provide a character report from the police in order to verify your personal and professional worthiness.
10. A job offer allowing you to apply for a skilled worker visa
11. Visa or immigration status allowing you to work in the UK
How, then, do you apply?
Does this blog resonate with you? You’re a teacher, and you’re already wondering how to go about it. all you need do is to check if you qualify to apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) in England and this can be done HERE
Also, according to the Home Office Department of Education, you do not need to retrain in order to teach in England.
All you need to know about the international relocation payment fund
The international relocation payment (IRP) is a monetary intervention that includes the cost of visas and is intended to cover some of the expenses associated with moving to England as well as the cost of immigration health.
How, then, do you qualify for this fund?
1. You are interested in moving to the UK to teach
2. You are a language teacher in an international institution with verifiable years of experience
3. You are a physics teacher at an international institution with verifiable years of experience.
Note that:
Around the conclusion of their first term of training or employment in England, all qualified applicants will receive a single payment from the Department for Education (DFE) totalling £10,000. The IRP is a grant, and you are not required to pay it back. The IRP is only available once.
Gone are the days of the saying that teachers get their rewards from heaven; now, as an internationally trained teacher, you might be just a step away from getting your reward here on earth by migrating to a developed country where you’ll have access to the amenities of life that will make life easier for you and your family.
Need we say more? You don’t need to go through the hassles of this application yourself; we are here to assist you.
Send a message to us, and you could just be on your way to a better life.
