Q: I have recently divorced and have decided to
return to using my former surname. What documents must I provide to the College to have my
Certificate of Qualification and Certificate of Registration re-issued in my former
surname?
A: If you assumed your spouse’s surname without
taking it as your legal name when you married and you wish to revert to your birth name,
you must provide a copy of your divorce decree or your birth certificate.
If you are reverting to a previous married name, you must provide a copy of your
divorce decree and a copy of a change of name certificate or citizenship/immigration
document in the name you wish to use on your certificates.
If you legally adopted your spouse’s surname by applying to the Ontario
Registrar-General when you married, you must go through the same process to revert to your
former surname. In this case, you must provide a notarized copy of your change of name
certificate to the College.
Q: If my board has my current address on file, why do I
have to submit it to the College?
A: The College’s bylaws require all members to
notify the College of any new address in writing within 30 days. Since the member’s
original signature is required, e-mails are not acceptable. Even though your board has
your new address, in order to protect your privacy, this is not part of the information
that employers share with the College. Your address is also part of the information on the
College register that is not public, and that we would not normally share with your board.
Q: Where is my 1999 tax receipt?
A: Your 1999 $90 tax receipt is attached to your
Certificate of Qualification. Please hold onto it. Duplicate tax receipts cost $10. If you
are certified in Ontario and reside in Quebec, a second, free copy of your tax receipt
will be mailed to you to fulfill that province’s tax requirements.
Why does the College not indicate that a particular credential is considered equivalent
to a degree from an Ontario university? For example, from Romania, a Diploma de Licenta
will not show up as a degree. However, it will be listed in the degree section as Diploma
de Licenta.
The College shows the credential on the Certificate of Qualification as it was
conferred by the institution at the time it was granted.
Q: What is the College doing to provide service
to members in French?
A: The College strives to provide excellent bilingual
service to its members and the general public. Almost seven per cent of College members
are francophone, while about 24 per cent of our staff are bilingual.
Members are able to call the College at any time and access our voice response unit to
obtain valuable information in either French or English. From Monday to Friday between
8:30 and 5:00, bilingual staff are available to assist our members with their inquiries.
Peak hours are between 1 and 2 p.m.; waiting times for all callers can be significantly
longer during this period.
Currently, about one-quarter of the callers contacting Client Services wish to be
served in French. To meet this expectation, one-third of our call centre staff are
available to meet member needs in either language. Members are also welcome to visit our
walk-in counter on the 6th floor here at the College to receive assistance in either of
Canada’s two official languages.
The College’s web site www.oct.ca
makes a wide range of information easily available in either language, and Professionally
Speaking/Pour parler profession is mailed to members in the language of their choice.
Members’ e-mail can be received and replied to in French.
In only its third year of operations, the Ontario College of Teachers continues its
efforts to surpass any other regulatory body in providing a pleasant bilingual experience
for its members.
