Section 30 of Teaching Council Act 2001

picturehangup

Hi All,

Received a letter from Department of Ed. today to inform me that they could not cross match my records with those of the Teaching Council to ensure continuation of payment of salary, and that as soon as the TC Act is enacted, I cannot be paid!! I have been registered since 2006, unbroken registration and now this! I am so angry about this. I called Athlone to see what the problem was, but the lady in Payroll division said it was most likely a wrong digit in DOB or PPS no. I cannot believe they would put us through this. Tried to call TC. Waste of time, no answer. Just wondering whether anyone else got this. I am really angry, would have expected TC to get this right, especially since I have been registered right from the start! Letter from Athlone was not very nice, and seemed to imply that I was at fault, or certainly that's how it felt. Anyone else in same boat?
Called ASTI H/O. No joy there either at all.

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Postgrad10

Sorry to hear that but once they've rectified their mistake it will be fine. Try emailing the teaching council, it's a lot faster than waiting for a call back. Long time before November to gt it rectified:)

picturehangup

Thanks Postgrad. Have made a point of never 'putting a foot wrong' as it were. I have done the 'right 'thing always.

picturehangup

Postgrad10

Just so annoying to get a letter like that when you do everything right. I wonder how many unregistered didnt get that letter today ?

rainbowtrout

picturehangup wrote: »

Hi All,

Received a letter from Department of Ed. today to inform me that they could not cross match my records with those of the Teaching Council to ensure continuation of payment of salary, and that as soon as the TC Act is enacted, I cannot be paid!! I have been registered since 2006, unbroken registration and now this! I am so angry about this. I called Athlone to see what the problem was, but the lady in Payroll division said it was most likely a wrong digit in DOB or PPS no. I cannot believe they would put us through this. Tried to call TC. Waste of time, no answer. Just wondering whether anyone else got this. I am really angry, would have expected TC to get this right, especially since I have been registered right from the start! Letter from Athlone was not very nice, and seemed to imply that I was at fault, or certainly that's how it felt. Anyone else in same boat?
Called ASTI H/O. No joy there either at all.

picturehangup

Seriously, that's a bit of an over reaction. You're not being tortured. Something was flagged in their system, records didn't match, so it probably generated a standard letter to get you to call them to rectify the matter.

No one is putting you through anything. If you have all the relevant qualifications and are already registered it should be easy enough to sort out.

Nobody is perfect including those that input data into a computer. I bet you have had details entered wrong in a variety of places over the years: bank, telephone company, revenue etc, yet probably didn't react like the world was about to end when you saw the mistake.

2011abc

OP is dead right !Id be FUMING!Sham of a quango ...Id give you 100 to 1 a union turncoat currently selling their clients down the Swanee will head up this thorn in teachers sides in next couple of years .Theyve already gotten rid of it in UK -ergo wouldnt it be 'best practice' to do likewise...?

2011abc

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Just so annoying to get a letter like that when you do everything right. I wonder how many unregistered didnt get that letter today ?

None Id reckon !Chocolate teapot ...Can you imagine an unqualified brain surgeon being allowed to operate for years by Medical Council ?!

Fizzical

Picturehangup, can't you just go online to your teaching council account and check you details?

picturehangup

Fizzical, yes I just have done that,( checked my details) after doing homework with my childrne and other household tasks, to find that my date of birth had been omitted . I recall taking great care when sending back forms etc, so don't know how that happened, or how they were not able to flag this gap in my crucial details before now. Lesson for us all is to log on and check information is accurate.

Rainbowtrout, Perhaps you are a little harsh there! It's just that I have paid six annual subs of ninety euros each year, and 65 for the current year. The only time the Council contact me is to look for this payment. It should be simple to fix, but that's if you can contact them. I have Several of my colleagues have turned a blind eye to this, will probably register before section 30 is enacted. Wonder will they have to pay in retrospect? I reckon not. I feel like a fool for paying my sub for so long, and when I really need to make contact with the Council, there is no one there. It is clearly not fit for purpose. We should follow the example of the UK for once.

picturehangup

rainbowtrout

picturehangup wrote: »

Rainbowtrout, Perhaps you are a little harsh there! It's just that I have paid six annual subs of ninety euros each year, and 65 for the current year. The only time the Council contact me is to look for this payment. It should be simple to fix, but that's if you can contact them. I have Several of my colleagues have turned a blind eye to this, will probably register before section 30 is enacted. Wonder will they have to pay in retrospect? I reckon not. I feel like a fool for paying my sub for so long, and when I really need to make contact with the Council, there is no one there. It is clearly not fit for purpose. We should follow the example of the UK for once.

picturehangup

It was the Department of Education that sent you the letter not the Teaching Council. The teaching council had your qualifications on record presumably but somewhere along the way forgot to add your date of birth. Or it got knocked off the system by accident.

The Department did a cross check and their records didn't match those of the TC. So they sent you a letter. While I don't think the TC are great I can't understand your anger, it seems like a simple mistake that is easily rectified.

Fizzical

Ah now, you're supposed to check your details when your account is opened. They tell you to. Surely you examined it at the beginning, to see that everything was right - even if only from curiosity?

In my experience, the Teaching Council respond very quickly to emails if you have a query or wish to change details.

Maybe you've had a bad day, but it's nobody's responsibility only yours to make sure all your details are correctly registered.

Aren't you glad the DES contacted you and didn't leave you to fall between the cracks? I'd be starting my letter with 'thank you so much for letting me know'!

2011abc

Dont mind that pair pciturehangup ,theyre clearly goading you.Youve paid over 600 euro , you quite reasonably expect some kind of customer service .The TC inability to answer their phones is shocking but a reflection on the disdain with which they hold those whom they claim to represent .They have done nothing but cause untold misery to teachers .

TheDriver

Never had such a smile on my face after reading that, amazing how people get very hot and bothered this time of year!
They sent you a letter to give plenty of time to verify things, seems fair to me. Are you saying that if Bord Gais or eircom or sky etc make a mistake and write you a letter and ask you to verify things, you would be incensed and upset? Next time you make a small admin error in school, make sure that DES gives out like stink at all the money they have paid you and yet you made a mistake.....
Think Friday can't come quick enough OP

endacl

Out of interest, does anybody know what a Teaching Council is 'for', exactly?

I mean, I pay the fee every year, but I still haven't got an answer to this one...

Mardy Bum

endacl wrote: »

Out of interest, does anybody know what a Teaching Council is 'for', exactly?

I mean, I pay the fee every year, but I still haven't got an answer to this one...

Check out their website

picturehangup

Hi All,

Update:
Actually managed to get through to the TC this morning. There are 5 options on their menu once you get through. There is a special line for enquiries relating to section 30 of the TC Act. There is no reply from that option, tried numerous times. The best way to get a response, if anyone else has difficulty, is option one-renewal of registration. Found them to be most helpful, and I was informed that the matter was sorted once they had my DOB. Apparently 2000 letters were issued, and the Dept of Ed. are going to carry out further updates and cross-matching of details later in the summer. Tried getting through to the payroll division of Dept of Ed again, to clarify that everything was now in order, and they are not available until 2.30pm this afternoon.

picturehangup

Mardy Bum

A lot of people are getting contacted it seems. 4 in my school.

picturehangup

Hi there Mardy Bum,

Yes, a lot getting contacted largely because of the inefficiency of our TC.
If you read my original post, my situation arose because, even after years paying these gougers almost 700 Euros, they could not get my DOB entered correctly into their database.
To further demonstrate their incompetence, I contacted them via email to get my situation rectified, and 'signed' my name, insofar as you can, via email , and they responded with a surname similar to my own, but NOT my own. Then, they wonder why my details are not correct?? This is completely and totally unacceptable. These people cannot even READ!

Furthermore, when I walked into school this morning, I was waylaid by our DP to say that they were also contacted by Dept of Ed to say I was not registered!!! I have been, for SEVEN years. Only, they had not my DOB correct.
No teacher needs this additional stress. It will be bad enough come September, without dealing with the sheer incompetency of the very body that is supposed to regulate the Teaching profession.

picturehangup

Trotter

I got the same letter. My DOB wasn't on the teaching council file. I added it online, took a screenshot, emailed it to a girl in payroll who was unfortunate enough to give me her mail address two years ago and hey presto, she said it was sorted.

Interesting that DOBs seem to be missing. I could've sworn I put mine in from day 1.

tomissex

I got the letter but I've just finished the PDE so amn't registered at all yet :p

Crazyteacher

Did you sub before or during your pgde Tom? That might explain it.

tomissex

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Did you sub before or during your pgde Tom? That might explain it.

Yeah I did during it so I guess I'm on DES records cause of that. Very confused reading the letter!

Postgrad10

Once you were on DES payroll unqualified you would receive that letter. Not to fear, you'll soon be registered when you get your results:)

paddy19

2011abc wrote: »

None Id reckon !Chocolate teapot ...Can you imagine an unqualified brain surgeon being allowed to operate for years by Medical Council ?!

Scary though...the legal regulation of who can do what operation in a hospital is non existent.... once your an MD you can do anything on anyone from blood pressure testing to quadruple bypassing...

The only control is you, the hospital and fear of medical insurance premiums...

If that doesn't motivate you to eat right, get fit and behave yourself ....nothing will.