College call centre staff answer over 500 calls every day. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Answering Your Calls

When will I receive my 2005 Certificate of Qualification?

Your 2005 Certificate of Qualification is produced when your annual membership fee is paid. The process of production and mailing generally takes a couple of weeks, but you should allow up to six weeks for delivery. So, for example, if your fees are received at the College in early January, you should receive your certificate by mid-February at the latest.


How do I know if my School Board will deduct the annual membership fee from my pay?

You can confirm with your school board if the fee will be deducted from your pay or check the deductions on your pay stub.


The school where I work has not deducted and forwarded my membership fee. How do I maintain my licence in good standing?

If you are a regular employee of a school board, the board should be making this payroll deduction automatically. However, if you are an occasional or part-time teacher or an employee of a private school, the deduction might not have been made.

If your fee is not submitted by your board, you have several options. You may pay online by credit card. You may mail a cheque or money order, made payable to the Ontario College of Teachers. You may also pay in person - using a cheque, money order, debit card, cash, Visa or MasterCard - at the College's 6th floor walk-in centre.

We must receive payment no later than April 15, 2005, if you wish to avoid suspension for non-payment of fees.


I wish to take Computer Studies - Computer Science, Part 2. Can I use my Computers in the Classroom, Honours Specialist Additional Qualification (AQ) as an equivalency for Part 1?

No, it is not possible to substitute the Computers in the Classroom, Honours Specialist course for the first part of the Computer Studies - Computer Science AQ course. An Additional Qualification in a three-part specialist or honours specialist program cannot be used for equivalency, nor will it lead to advanced standing in another three-part specialist program.


I live abroad and so I asked my mother to call the College to check the status of my file, but College staff would not provide the information I needed. Why not?

College staff are bound by the Ontario College of Teachers Act to maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to members and applicants. Only information on the public register may be disclosed to third parties. The public register is available via the College web site at www.oct.ca.

Without written permission, staff may not release to anyone - whether a spouse, family member or other - information beyond what is on the public register, nor may they take action regarding your file at the request of an unauthorized party.

You can however register in the members' area of the College web site. Once registered, you can check your status and update personal information from anywhere in the world via the Internet.


How do I notify QECO/OSSTF about an Additional Qualification course I recently completed?

The faculty where you took the course will send the College a recommendation indicating that you have completed the course. Once the College receives this recommendation, we will add it to your qualifications and send you an acknowledgement via e-mail. If we do not have a valid e-mail address on file, you will not receive this notification. If you would like to provide your current e-mail address, you can do so via the Members' Area of the web site. If you haven't yet created your personal account, you will need to take a few minutes to do so.

In any case, the public register will be updated to include your additional qualification and you may print your qualifications from the public register. Your new certificate of qualification, which will be issued early in 2005, will include this new qualification.


Contact:

Client Services
Ontario College of Teachers
121 Bloor Street East, Toronto ON M4W 3M5
416-961-8800 (toll-free in Ontario 1-888-534-2222)
info@oct.ca