Currently the Institute is receiving a high volume of calls and emails. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and are endeavouring to minimise the delay. These FAQs may answer some of your questions.
RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION:
Q: I have received a letter advising me that I have not yet renewed my registration. What do I need to do?
A: The letter you received was in regards to the renewal of your full registration, your declaration that you have met the required number of teaching days and professional development hours.
An email was previously sent to you with a link to set up your MyVIT account. You will need to follow the link in the email to set up your MyVIT account. Once this is set up you can log in to MyVIT and access the online renewal form under ‘My applications’.
MyVIT:
Q: I’m having trouble accessing MyVIT. What do I need to do?
A: THERE ARE 2 STEPS TO REMEMBER:
STEP 1: Wait until you receive an email from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Use it to create your account.
STEP 2: Once you have completed step 1, always access MyVIT by clicking the MyVIT tab and filling in your account number and password.
Q: I know some teachers who have accessed their MyVIT account. Why can’t I access mine?
A: Not all teachers currently have access to MyVIT. MyVIT is being rolled out firstly to teachers who need it to complete their renewal of registration or an NCHRC. It will be rolled out to all other teachers on a staggered basis. You must wait until you receive an email from the Victorian Institute of Teaching, and use the link in that email to create your account.
Q: I can’t access the MyVIT site. I tried clicking the MyVIT tab but what do I do after that?
A: The ONLY way to access MyVIT is to first create your MyVIT account. To do this, you must wait until you receive an email from the Victorian Institute of Teaching, with a link to create your MyVIT account. When you click on the link, follow the instructions and you will create your MyVIT account. Do NOT try to access MyVIT without doing this step first.
Q: I clicked the MyVIT tab and made up an account number and a password, so why can’t I access MyVIT?
A: This is not the correct way to access MyVIT. First you must create your MyVIT account. To do this, you must wait until you receive an email from the Victorian Institute of Teaching, with a link to create your MyVIT account. When you click on the link, follow the instructions and you will create your MyVIT account. Do NOT try to access MyVIT without doing this step first.
Q: I received my email from the Institute, clicked the link on the email and created my MyVIT account. The next time I went to use MyVIT, I clicked the link on the email and it didn’t work! Why have I been locked out?
A: The link on the email only works ONCE. You have created your MyVIT account, so now every time you want to use MyVIT, you must click the MyVIT tab on the Institute web page, fill in your account number and password, and access it from there.
Q: I have been locked out of MyVIT. What do I do now?
A: Call us on 1300 888 067 or email
myvit@vit.vic.edu.au and we will unlock your account. You cannot proceed until your account is unlocked.
NATIONAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECK (NCHRC)
Q: My NCHRC doesn’t expire until next year. Why do I have to do another NCHRC now?
A: The Institute is unable to issue a registration card unless the NCHRC is valid for the entire 12 month period of your registration. By completing your NCHRC now, your NCHRC date will not expire during your period of registration.
This process ensures that there is no risk of a registered teacher being in breach of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 or the Working with Children Act 2005 for having an expired NCHRC during the 12 month period of their registration card.
For a teacher to maintain their VIT registration they are required to have an NCHRC conducted through the Institute, within the 5th year after their last NCHRC. This will not necessarily fall on the anniversary date of your previous NCHRC.
Q: If teachers have already provided the Institute with past records to get their NCRC, why do they have to provide them again?
A: Providing proof of identify documents each time the NCHRC is due is a requirement of Crimtrac, and cannot be varied in any circumstances.
Q: Are there any Criminal Record Checks that the Institute will accept, other than the NCHRC?
A: No. In order for teachers to maintain their VIT registration they are legally required to have a current NCHRC which has been conducted through the Institute. A current NCHRC is one that is not older than 5 years, in the year of a teacher’s registration.
Police checks obtained by individuals directly through Victoria Police or police departments in other Australian States or Territories do not capture the complete criminal history of an individual necessary for teacher registration. An NCHRC conducted through the Institute is exempt from the spent convictions scheme, which means all of a teacher’s criminal history will be revealed and it will search nationally for all types of sexual and indictable offences. This level of information may not be revealed in other police checks.
The letters ‘NCHRC’ and the date it was conducted are printed on your registration card so that you can provide it as evidence of a current NCHRC to any employer. You may however be asked to have another police check conducted for other purposes e.g. required by your employer as you are taking up a new teaching position/a promotion. Police checks obtained through Victoria Police may be sufficient for employment purposes – you would need to check suitability with your employer.
RETIRING TEACHERS
Q: If a teacher is planning to retire from teaching employment in December 2011, do they have to pay the registration fee?
A: Yes. The best approach is to pay the registration fee and notify the Institute in advance of your intention to cancel your registration upon retirement. Once you have retired, state that you wish to cancel your registration and the Institute will refund you on a pro rata basis from the date of your retirement.
PERMISSION TO TEACH
Q: Do instrumental music teachers/instructors need permission to teach?
A: Instrumental music teachers/instructors, Integration aides, special needs support officers, chaplains and faith community leaders, guidance officers, career counsellors, and sports coaches who do not have the responsibility for delivery and assessment of student participation in an educational program which forms part of the compulsory school curriculum are generally not considered to be undertaking the duties of a teacher and are not required to hold permission to teach (PTT). These positions may be staffed using direct supervision by registered teachers or in other arrangements under the Working with Children Act 2005.
Under the PTT policy, permission to teach is required only for positions where a person is being engaged to undertake the duties of a teacher. In these instances the position will have first been advertised for a registered school teacher.
Extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, supplementary instruction and support programs outside of the required curriculum generally require an instructor who does not undertake the duties of a teacher as defined above.