New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teachers) Division II

Overview

The New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II, available through UC Education Plus (University of Canterbury), gives a specified group of teachers a further opportunity to upgrade their qualifications for eligibility for the G3+ salary group. Trained secondary teachers in the G3 qualifications group, and the G1 or G2 qualifications group who hold permanent units, and have held these units since February 2003, should check to see if they meet eligibility criteria for enrolment in the Diploma.

Teachers interested in this qualification should go to www.edplus.canterbury.ac.nz/nzdipss/index for information and an application form, and direct any enquiries to Christiane Rupp at nzdipss@edplus.canterbury.ac.nz [no spam].

Completed application forms should be submitted to the Industrial Relations Unit of the Ministry of Education (PO Box 1666, Wellington). The Unit will check that each applicant meets the eligibility criteria, and then forward each eligible application to UC Education Plus to consider for entry into the Diploma course. The Industrial Relations Unit will also send each applicant a letter to keep them up to date with the progress of their application.

The Ministry of Education has entered into a contract with UC Education Plus for the delivery of the Diploma. This means that the Ministry meets the fees for the Diploma except for the cost of additional papers where they are required for completion of the Diploma.

Candidates for the New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II should expect to find the requirements for successful completion of the Diploma challenging. To meet the Level 7 requirements of the Diploma, candidates could be required to undertake completion of additional papers through a tertiary provider. The cost of any additional papers required is not met by the Ministry of Education and as such will be borne by the teacher.

In addition to the study assistance described above, eligible teachers will receive up to five days study leave upon application by their school's board to the Ministry of Education, using the application form at the bottom of this page.

Each teacher will receive a payment of $2500 (gross) upon successful completion of the New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II, provided the teacher meets the criteria of continuous employment since 5 February 2003 (excluding breaks of up to six weeks). The payment will be pro-rated for part-time teachers. UC Education Plus will notify the Ministry when the teacher has completed the Diploma. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below for information about how this payment may apply to you.

Entitlement to the G3+ salary group is effective from the date of formal notification of completion of the Diploma as per clause 4.2.1(c) of the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible to enrol in the New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II?

To be eligible for the Diploma, you must:

• be a trained secondary school teacher (you must provide evidence of this: three certified copies of your teaching qualification), and
• hold a specialist subject qualification (you must provide evidence of this: three certified copies of your specialist subject qualification),* and
• have been in service as a trained secondary teacher, with a subject specialist qualification, in a state or state integrated school at 5 February 2003, and
• be currently employed as a secondary teacher in a state or state integrated school, and be in salary group:
  - G3, or
  - G2, or
  - G1
  and were in one of the qualifying salary groups at 5 February 2003 (if you were in G1 or G2 at 5 February 2003, you must have continuously held one or more permanent units since 5 February 2003 until the date of your application for the diploma, or the date of upgrading your qualifications for salary group G3), and
• have not have enrolled in the original New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects.

* "Specialist subject qualifications" include qualifications that combine teaching and specialist subject elements (for example, Division H (Home Economics/Homecraft) Teacher Training). There is also provision for recognition of partially completed specialist subject qualifications for entry to the Diploma in Specialist Subjects - contact the Industrial Relations Unit for more information.

When you apply for entry to the New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II, staff in the Industrial Relations Unit will check that you meet the above entry criteria, before forwarding your application to the University of Canterbury UC Education Plus.

Please make sure that when you submit your application for enrolment that you enclose three certified copies of all required documentation, including copies of all qualifications and part qualifications you hold; teaching and specialist subject (include transcripts where you think this will be helpful in the assessment of your qualifications). If your qualification combines teaching and specialist subject components, make sure this is clearly discernable from the information you submit.

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How do I apply to enrol in the Diploma?

You will need to get an application form from the University of Canterbury UC Education Plus. See http://www.edplus.canterbury.ac.nz/nzdipss/index or contact the University using the contact information below.

Fill out the application form and send it to the Industrial Relations Unit (Ministry of Education, Box 1666, Wellington), with three certified copies of all required documents.

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What will it cost me?

The Ministry of Education will meet the fees for the Diploma, except for the cost of additional papers where they are required for completion of the Diploma. The fees paid by the Ministry are paid directly by the Ministry to the University of Canterbury.

Where candidates are required to undertake completion of additional papers through a tertiary provider, the cost of the additional papers is not met by the Ministry of Education, and will have to be paid by individual candidates.

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What kind of unit standards will I have to meet to successfully complete the Diploma?

Information about the content of the Diploma is available to download at the bottom of this page.

For further information, please contact the University of Canterbury UC Education Plus using the contact details below.

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Can I get some study leave to support me towards completing the Diploma?

Each teacher enrolled in the New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher) Division II is entitled to up to five days study leave, upon application by the teacher's school board.

This leave must only be used by the teacher enrolled in the Diploma, and only for use in work towards completion of the Diploma.

An application form for study leave is available for download from this webpage.

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Am I eligible for the $2,500 payment upon completion?

To be eligible for the $2,500 payment, the teacher, on completing the Diploma must:

• be employed as a secondary teacher in a permanent, long-term relieving or other fixed-term (including supernumeracy) teaching position in a state or state integrated school (providing that, in the case of a fixed term position, the tenure is for at least six weeks); and
• have continuous service as a secondary teacher in a state or state integrated school(s) since 5 February 2003. Breaks in service of up to six weeks may be `bridged' providing service either side of the break is for continuous periods of six weeks or more.

Part-time teachers will receive a pro-rated payment of $1000 plus a pro-rated portion of the remaining $1500.

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When will I be eligible for salary group G3+?

Entitlement to the G3+ salary group is effective from the date of formal notification of completion of the Diploma as per clause 4.2.1(c) of the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

If you have been held at the maximum step for your salary group for one or more years' service, you will be entitled to immediate progression of one salary step. Otherwise you will be able to move towards the top of the salary scale by annual progression.

The Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement is available for download at www.minedu.govt.nz/employmentagreements.

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Contacts

Ministry of Education

Industrial Relations Unit
Ministry of Education
PO Box 1666
Wellington
Email: industrial.relations@minedu.govt.nz [no spam] or anna.friedlander@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]

University of Canterbury (UC)
UC Education Plus

Diploma Coordinator:
Christiane Rupp
Phone: (03) 3458454
Email:nzdipss@edplus.canterbury.ac.nz [no spam]

UC Contacts:
Website:http://www.edplus.canterbury.ac.nz/nzdipss/index
Fax: (03) 3437731
Street address:
UC College of Education, Dovedale Avenue, Christchurch
Postal address:
UC College of Education, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140