NQF and 3 year trained ECT

[play2learn]

Hi, I have a degree in early childhood studies and am a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. I completed my degree way back in 1996 and have expereince as a preschool teacher/ director in Victoria. When I completed my degree it was only a 3 year course, as were all the courses at the time. Does anyone know whether I now have to do a fourth year to meet the new NQF requirements?

[fchaudari76]

Call up the Education Dept and ask. I would think you may have to do an extra year or something to bring you up to the level of people graduating with a 4 yr degree but I dont know if you have been working as a preschool teacher already if you would be required to do an add on year.
Just call and ask they'll tell you if you do and if so how to go about it

[Lorina]

Hi Play2learn,

I went through some of the information I gathered on the NQF Teacher Requirements. It does state that "a 4 year teaching degree is not required under the NQF" however "a 4 year teaching degree is required under Universal Access". I wasn't sure what Universal Access meant but I found out the following info:

Universal Access is a Federal Government initiative to enable every child to attend a preschool program with a qualified kindergaten teacher in the year before they attend formal schooling. I've attached some more information below.

[attachment=0]Universal Access_NQF.doc[/attachment]
So I think this means that if you want to teach as a qualified preschool teacher in an early childhood service you would need to have a 4 year degree however you can still work at a childcare service with your qualification although I don't think you will be considered as a "qualified kindergarten teacher". Although...I'm not 100% sure...

Cheers ,
L.A

[fchaudari76]

i had a lady working with me at my last job who was a qualified teacher, but she was in her lates 50s early 60s for sure so I am sure she must have done a 3 yr degree in her time & she had not been working as a teacher for a while but she was hired as one of the preschool teachers, so im not sure
though i could be wrong, she may have done some top up to her quals that i am not aware of
its all confusing .... id just call up Dept of Ed and ask them

[Lou S]

I'm the same as you......
I think it would mean 4 year degree OR equivalent (which is 3 year Bach. degree of that time). The 3 and 4 year course were the same anyway - maybe with small changes?