UK Ends QTS Route for Teachers Trained in Nigeria and Ghana

Teachers who trained in Nigeria and Ghana can no longer seek Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), a credential that many schools in England require by law. The rule took effect on September 9, according to the UK Department for Education, which said credentials and work experience are reviewed under strict standards before QTS is issued. The department said eligible countries need a national regulator that can confirm a teacher's professional standing and supply authenticated references. Nigeria and Ghana did not satisfy the second condition, it said. In over 70 per cent of submissions from Nigeria and Ghana, references for work history came through free email services such as Gmail or Hotmail rather than school-run domains, the department said, adding that this required extra work and resources from assessors attempting to verify the details. India was also removed from the list because it did not have a national regulator able to confirm teachers' professional standing. South Africa is now the only African country on the list of nations eligible for the QTS application route. According to the department, applicants must submit a valid passport, a degree comparable to a UK bachelor's degree, recognition as a professional teacher in the country where they trained, and evidence that they completed mandatory induction requirements for full teacher registration. They must also demonstrate at least nine months of teaching experience acquired after qualifying, provide qualifications showing they can teach children aged five to 16, and submit work references with email addresses tied to their schools' official domains. The department said teachers who can no longer use the QTS application service in England may look into alternative routes. It added that although most schools prefer QTS, individual schools may consider other qualification routes because teachers in England are hired directly by schools rather than by the education department.