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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to enable newly qualified teachers in the UK to qualify immediately for qualified teacher status for the purposes of EC Directive 89/48 EEC; what discussions he has held with other EU education ministers on making teaching qualifications precisely reciprocal; and if he will make a statement. [203770] Mr. Miliband: EC Directive 89/48 EEC does not apply to the qualifications of teachers trained in the UK. The position in England is that teacher trainees are awarded qualified teacher status by the General Teaching Council for England as soon as the training provider has recommended that they have met all the standards required for this award. For England and Wales, we have implemented the Directive on the mutual recognition of qualifications under the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 1991, by making the Secretary of State for Education and Skills the designated authority for the purpose of recognising the qualifications of teachers trained in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. As a matter of current practice, the status of any teacher certified as qualified by the member State in which they trained is recognised as equivalent to qualified teacher status in England and Wales. We have not met other EU Ministers to discuss teacher qualifications.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

203770; 428 c779W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Graduates EU law Qualifications Teachers Training Implementing legislation

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk