3.1 Registration

In this section: - What is registration - How to register as a teacher

• Rules: Registration
• Process: Teacher Database and Register
• Process: How to register as a teacher
• Further Reading: The purpose of registration

Rules: Registration

The TSC Act of 2011 mandates the TSC to:

• Register and license all teachers
• Maintain and annually upgrade a register of all licensed teachers
• Publish the register in the Gazette
• Vet all teacher qualifications.

Registration Rules

• Every teacher must register in the electronic database of teachers maintained by the TSC.
• The minimum academic qualification for registration as a professional teacher is the Teacher Certificate (TC) or its equivalent. Lower qualifications do not qualify.
• Acceptable qualifications for registration are: TC; Higher Teacher Certificate (HTC) Primary/Secondary; Degree in Education; Degree in Science/Arts/Social Studies/Commerce/Vocational and Technical Studies + Post-graduate Diploma in Education.
• A person is eligible for registration if he or she:
  • Has the minimum relevant academic and professional qualifications from an accredited and recognised teacher education institution in Sierra Leone or elsewhere.
  • Is physically and mentally fit.
  • Has no criminal record or any registration of inappropriate conduct.
• Foreign applicants must submit the following documents with their application:
  • Certified copies of qualifications and academic transcript, certified copy of identification document.
  • Letter of professional standing and good ethical conduct – not more than one year old and headed, stamped and signed - from the country of previous registration.
  • Proof of legal entry into Sierra Leone, passport, visa, and work permit and/or residence card if relevant, or asylum seeker or refugee permit.
  • Documentation of passing TSC’s Professional Qualifying Assessment/Test (if operational at the time).
  • Proof of ability to teach fluently in the English language.
• Separation from service, retirement and death must be registered in the Teacher Database.
• Denial or withdrawal of registration as a teacher follow the same rules as denial or withdrawal of a teacher’s licence. The criteria are described in the following section on Licensing.
• Anyone found to submit falsified documents or information will be subject to legal proceedings and denied registration or licensing as a teacher

Process: Teacher Database and Register

 

• The TSC has a hard-copy of personnel records of all approved teachers.
• These will be scanned and digitalised and held in the electronic teacher database.
• All new teachers are registered in the teacher database.
• The database of teacher personnel information includes:
  • Pin-code and National Identity Number (NIN) of the teacher
  • Biometric data
  • Name
  • Title
  • Salary grade
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Family status
  • Address
  • School/location
  • Years of service
  • License
  • Education and qualifications
  • Subject speciality
  • School grades trained to teach
  • Completed professional development
  • Competency level (proficient etc)
  • Other as determined by MBSSE and TSC.

All personal information of teachers is confidential and subject to current regulation for protection of personal information.

Only authorised persons have access to information in the teacher database.

Process: How to register as a teacher

 

• Anyone qualified as a teacher can complete the REGISTRATION FORM online and attach the required documentation.
• TSC-HQ scrutinises applicant credentials and authenticates certificates with awarding bodies, etc. to confirm if the teacher qualifies for registration and licensing.
• TSC-HQ confirms registration within fourteen (14) working days.
• Denial or withdrawal of teacher registration follows the same procedures as denial or withdrawal of a teacher’s licence (see Licensing).

Further Reading: The purpose of registration

 

It is essential for effective Human Resource Management of teachers that all teachers are appropriately registered, and that the teaching service keeps and updates individual teacher records. These records include basic information such as the teacher’s ID, position, grade, age, gender, years of service, workplace, subject specialisation, education and completed training.

Registration is a prerequisite for professionalisation of the teaching service and is linked to the licensing of teachers. It gives parents confidence that their children are being taught and supervised by state-recognised persons who have been scrutinised and deemed worthy to provide quality education and teaching.

Registration and subsequent recording in teacher records and database links to:

• National educational planning
• Reporting and statistics
• TSC’s detailed teacher workforce planning and teacher deployment
• Correct and timely pay of salary
• Transfer of teachers to other schools
• Promotion to higher positions and salary grades
• Retirement
• Registration of work experience, qualifications and professional development
• Other areas of HR management.

A teacher’s data must be updated whenever there are changes to their employment. This ensures the teaching service has an accurate profile of each teacher, the current teaching establishment at each school, and the teaching workforce in the country at all times.

The TSC is in the process of developing an electronic database for all teacher records for ease of accessing information about teachers or schools when it is needed, and enable records to be updated more easily when there are changes. 

The advantages of digital registration in a database include:

• Accurate and updated information on approved teachers.
• Quick and easy access for authorised institutions to obtain the information.
• Information for TSC’s deployment of teachers: qualifications, subject specialisation, age, years of service, gender, etc.