Share this page 

Governing Ourselves

Governing Ourselves informs members of legal and regulatory matters affecting the profession. This section provides updates on licensing and qualification requirements, notification of Council resolutions and reports from various Council committees, including reports on accreditation and discipline matters.

Policy Development

Distance Education Policy Change

Distance education is a positive development in the efforts to make education accessible to those in remote areas or who are otherwise unable to physically attend classes. For this reason, and because of advances in technology such as interactive synchronous video conferencing (through Skype or Adobe Connect), the percentage of distance education in an applicant’s teacher education program is no longer being assessed. On September 1, 2014, the College began recognizing initial teacher education programs completed entirely by distance education outside of Ontario provided the following requirements are met:

To be eligible for certification, the applicant would still have to meet the academic and language proficiency requirements.

As early as 2007 the College began recognizing up to 60 per cent of an internationally educated teacher’s (IET) teacher education program successfully completed by distance education. The remaining 40 per cent had to be delivered in a face-to-face format and include any methodology courses in the program, in order for the applicant to be certified. The requirement for a face-to-face practicum was a key component of the 60 per cent threshold.

In November 2013, the College accredited an Ontario teacher education program offered entirely by distance education for the first time. However, this created an inequity in that internationally educated applicants could only have 60 per cent of their program recognized if delivered by distance education. The new policy change to recognize distance education courses creates a more equitable certification process for all Ontario and IET applicants.

Because of the change in accepting full programs completed by distance education, applicants who were denied between March 1, 2012, and August 31, 2014, and have since become registered with the College, may be eligible for additional teaching qualifications. Members who have not received teaching qualifications based on methodology coursework completed by distance education in their initial teacher education program may request a reassessment in writing to the attention of Evaluation Services.

New Council Member

Profile photo of Merzak Damou.

The College Council welcomes new Council member Merzak Damou, OCT. Damou has taught Grades 7 to 12 mathematics, science and geography courses over the last seven years with the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO).

Damou was part of a team that wrote booklets on effective instruction in mathematics for the Intermediate Division of Ontario’s Ministry of Education. He has served on several Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) committees and is an examiner for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and the Middle Years Programme.

In addition to these roles, Damou also mentors new teachers, has served as a department head and initiated a professional learning community in numeracy. He coaches and trains colleagues in the use of new technology and advises on resources to help students master technology skills for the 21st century.

Damou has presented numerous workshops for the Ontario Ministry of Education, Summer Institutes, professional development days and staff meetings, and has volunteered on a number of parent involvement panels and committees.

Damou was appointed by Council in October 2014 to fill the French-language Public Board Elementary or Secondary position vacancy. He holds an M.Sc. and PhD from the University of Manchester, a B.Ed. from the University of Ottawa, and has also completed Part 1 of the Principal’s Qualification Program.