efl mb policies for licensed efl schools updated nov 2012

EFL Monitoring Board, Ministry of Education and Employment, Great Siege Road, Floriana.

Policy Guidelines for licensed EFL Schools

‘to stimulate, promote and safeguard the EFL profession.’

Pg. 1 of 19

Issued March 2012 by EFL MB Management. Updated November 2012.




Pg. 2 of 19


Table of Contents

1. PURPOSE...................................................................................................................................................................... 3

2. POLICY 1 - ACADEMIC CENTRE MANAGERS................................................................................................... 4

3. POLICY 2 - TEMPORARY DOS ABSENCES ......................................................................................................... 5

4. POLICY 3 - CHANGES IN DIRECTOR OF STUDIES POST................................................................................ 7

5. POLICY 4 - MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO TEACH EFL IN M ALTA....................................................... 9

6. POLICY 5 - USE AND APPROVAL OF ANNEXES OF EFL SCHOOLS .......................................................... 11

7. POLICY 6 - SUBMITTING TEFL CERT. COURSES FOR APPROV AL .......................................................... 13

8. POLICY 7 - PROVIDING DETAILS RE ACCOMMODATION SERVI CES .................................................... 14

9. POLICY 8 - NSO STATISTICS ................................................................................................................................15

10. POLICY 9 - PREPARATION FOR MONITORING VISITS BY THE EFL MB................................................ 16

11. POLICY 10 - PREPARATION FOR ACADEMIC SCHOOL VISITS… ……………………………………… 17

12. POLICY 11 - CARE FOR MINORS........................................................................................................................ 18

13. APPENDIX 1 - TEMPORARY DOS ABSENCE TEMPLATE FORM ... ............................................................. 19




Pg. 3 of 19


PURPOSE This policy document groups all legal obligations and policies issued by the EFL MB for all licensed EFL Schools in Malta and Gozo. The purpose of this policy document is to offer guidance to EFL Schools as well as promote good practice, achieve uniformity, manage quality and maintain compliance.




Pg. 4 of 19


POLICY 1 - ACADEMIC MANAGERS

OVERVIEW This policy addresses the issue of Academic Managers. The current legal framework in place requires the presence of the Director of Studies at the school during its operation. A number of EFL Schools operate Annexes to supplement their school operation. Every Annexe must have an Academic Centre Manager in place when in operation.

DEFINITIONS ‘Annexe’ – Premises that are approved to be used as a temporary extension for a licensed EFL school. ‘Academic Centre Manager’ – Person replacing the Director of Studies as the academic focal point in an Annexe.

POLICY Each Annexe must have an Academic Centre Manager with the following minimum qualifications:

1. A valid EFL permit; 2. CELTA, Cert.TESOL or any comparable qualification in EFL/ELT as approved by the Malta

Qualifications Council; 3. 500 EFL teaching hours.

PROCEDURE The EFL Monitoring Board is to be notified about who the Academic Centre Manager will be. Upon fulfillment of the criteria listed above , approval will be communicated.

Together with the qualifications, the EFL MB also requests contact details of the proposed Academic Centre Manager. Notification may be emailed to [email protected].




Pg. 5 of 19


POLICY 2 - TEMPORARY DOS ABSENCES

OVERVIEW The current legal framework in place requires the presence of the Director of Studies at the school during its operation. This policy expounds to all Directors of Studies as to how the EFL MB plans to deal with possible absences of any Director of Studies during operational hours.

DEFINITIONS ‘Director of Studies’ – The academic focal point of the school as approved by the EFL MB in accordance to Legal Notice 60 of 1996.

POLICY

1. In cases of temporary DOS Absences (3 days or more), the Head of School needs to inform the MB the contact person and qualifications of the temporary replacement. The minimum qualifications for the individual fulfilling DOS duties are: 1. a valid ELT Permit; 2. a CELTA or Cert.Tesol (or any other comparable qualification); 3. a minimum of 750 EFL Teaching hours.

2. If during an inspection visit by the EFL Monitoring Board, the Director of Studies is not

present, the Monitoring Board, or its representatives, may ask for reasons and justification for such absence.

Justifiable absences include: Vacation leave (not taken in peak season for the school) Sick Leave Family Emergencies Parental Leave Work Related travel




Pg. 6 of 19


2.1 The EFL MB or its representatives may ask for proof of reasons and justifications cited. Whether such proof is sufficient is at the discretion of the EFL Monitoring Board. The School will be informed of this decision. 2.2 After 3 unjustified absences, the school will be given a formal warning. The warning might include a temporary suspension until the position is regularised. The school will be asked to regularise its position by employing a Director of Studies within three months which start running from the date of receipt of the formal letter of warning. 2.3 After the allotted time for regularisation has come to pass, there will be a 4th visit. If the school in question has still not regularised its position, the EFL Monitoring Board may decide to revoke the school license.

PROCEDURE EFL MB Management needs to be informed by the Head of School of the person replacing the DOS at least one week prior to commencement of leave, if the leave taken exceeds more than three days. Notification is necessary for all absences a-e. Appendix 1 includes template to be completed. Form may be emailed to [email protected].




Pg. 7 of 19


POLICY 3 - CHANGE OF DIRECTOR OF STUDIES

OVERVIEW As per Legal Notice, every school must have a Director of Studies on an exclusive basis. This policy document aims at stipulating the timeline within which a school must replace a DOS in instances of resignation or when a DOS is no longer employed by the school.

DEFINITIONS ‘Director of Studies’ - The academic focal point of the school as approved by the EFL MB in accordance to Legal Notice 60 of 1996.

POLICY The Monitoring Board needs to be notified by the school, when a Director of Studies has resigned or is no longer employed by the school. When a Director of Studies is newly appointed, the EFL Monitoring Board must be notified immediately and if the person in question has all the requirements as propounded by the relevant L.N, the MB will proceed in approving him/her as a Director of Studies. Such requirements are:

1. An EFL teaching Permit; 2. A minimum of 1,000 hours in teaching English as a foreign language; 3. A first degree in English of a recognized University or a comparable or higher qualification of a

recognized institution in the teaching of English as a foreign language(assessed by the MQC), 4. A clean police conduct.

Any school which is currently without a DOS is being given a period of 3 months to appoint a new one. The 3 months will start running from the first day that the school operated without a DOS.




Pg. 8 of 19


PROCEDURE The school must seek approval for the proposed DOS by presenting original certificates of all requirements to the administrative offices in Floriana. These will be presented to the board for review and approval.




Pg. 9 of 19


POLICY 4 - MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO TEACH EFL IN M ALTA

OVERVIEW This policy defines the minimum qualifications required for EFL teachers in Malta.

POLICY The current law states that EFL Teachers must: (a) be at least eighteen years of age; (b) possess a Teaching of English as a Foreign Language Permit issued by the Board; (c) have a matriculation standard of education; (d) have successfully followed a recognised induction course in the methodology of teaching English as a foreign language, approved by the Minister on the Recommendation of the Board; (e) possess an Advanced Level certificate in English of a recognised institution, or comparable qualifications.

The EFL Monitoring Board would like to clarify its policy regarding applications for prospective EFL teachers. Applicants must be in possession of the following:

- for applicants under 25 years of age: A pass in TELT or an A Level in English with grades A, B

or C together with a TEFL Induction Course certificate (approved by the EFL MB), a matriculation standard of education and a clean police conduct;

- for applicants over 25 years of age : A pass in TELT or an A Level in English with grades A, B or C together with a TEFL Induction course certificate (approved by the EFL MB) and a clean police conduct .

OR - CELTA, Cert.Tesol or any comparable or higher qualification recognised by the Malta

Qualifications Council and approved by the EFL Monitoring Board together with a clean police conduct.




Pg. 10 of 19


PROCEDURE Applicants must come with the pertaining original certificates to our administrative offices for an EFL Permit. Application forms may be downloaded from https://education.gov.mt and choose EFL Section from the links on the left hand side. EFL Permits expire every 12 months since date of issue. Renewal application forms may also be downloaded from the same website. Completed renewal forms may be sent scanned via email on [email protected] or by post to the address found in the header of this document.




Pg. 11 of 19


POLICY 5 – USE AND APPROVAL OF ANNEXES OF EFL LICEN SED SCHOOLS

OVERVIEW This policy is aimed at clarifying the procedure for approval of Annexes.

DEFINITIONS ‘Annexe’ – Premises that are approved to be a temporary extension for a licensed EFL school.

POLICY Schools are required to submit the following information to the EFL Monitoring Board for approval of their Annexes;

1. Name and address of annexe; 2. Dates in which the annexe will be in operation; 3. The name of the person acting as Academic Manager including qualifications; 4. A comprehensive site plan. The rooms to be used as classrooms, administration offices and

resource centres must be clearly marked on the plans; 5. The dimensions of each of the rooms to be used; 6. The number of students in each room; 7. Resources to be used.

PROCEDURE All applications for Annexe approval must be submitted by not later than 6 weeks before the planned commencement of operations in such Annexe. Details may be emailed to [email protected] or sent by post to the address indicated on the header. Annexes which have already been approved, need not resubmit all the details such as site plans etc. The exception to this if there has been a major change (e.g rooms used as classrooms have changed).




Pg. 12 of 19


Moreover this applies only to Annexes which have already been used by that same school, thus an Annexe which has been used by School A is not automatically approved to be used by School B. The reason being is that the classrooms, resources and academic manager might be different. Please note, that while re use of an Annexe by the same school does not require the whole approval process every year, the EFL Monitoring Board will still need to be notified if an Annexe will be used, and who will run it.




Pg. 13 of 19


POLICY 6 – SUBMITTING TEFL CERT. COURSES FOR APPROV AL

OVERVIEW This policy specifies the procedure for approval of TEFL Cert. Courses.

DEFINITIONS ‘TEFL Cert.’ – Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate.

POLICY Please refer to TEFL Cert. document, disseminated to all schools. It is a comprehensive guide for any school that wishes to be accredited to run TEFL Cert. courses




Pg. 14 of 19


POLICY 7 – PROVIDING DETAILS RE SCHOOL RESIDENCES T O THE EFL MB

OVERVIEW This purpose of policy is that of requesting the collaboration of all schools to work with the Malta Police Force in obtaining more effective monitoring in areas where EFL students are accommodated in order to avoid incidences of rowdy behaviour as well as unfortunate occurrences whereby EFL students find themselves as target to assault, or abuse.

DEFINITIONS Accommodation - residences, hotels, apartments or any other student accommodation not being a host family.

POLICY As per request of the Police, schools are asked to send in the addresses of any accommodation they use, together with contact details of the administrator as well as the 24hr emergency number given to students. This list will be forwarded to the Police so that more policing in areas with high concentration of accommodation for EFL students can be planned. This list will be updated every 2 months.

PROCEDURE Email any updates to [email protected].




Pg. 15 of 19


POLICY 8 – STATISTICS

OVERVIEW All EFL Schools are requested to fill in the annual NSO questionnaire.

DEFINITIONS ‘NSO Questionnaire’ – a detailed questionnaire about the EFL industry, providing statistical information for each calendar year.

POLICY The EFL MB kindly requests everyone's co-operation in completing the said questionnaire by the established date. Schools are legally bound to submit all information as requested in the questionnaire as per Article 35 of Chapter 422 of the Laws of Malta.




Pg. 16 of 19


POLICY 9 – PREPARATION FOR MONITORING VISITS

OVERVIEW The aim of this policy is to prepare EFL licensed schools in view of the annual monitoring visits by the EFL MB officers.

DEFINITIONS Monitoring visits - EFL MB representatives will visit EFL licensed schools during operational hours to ensure compliance to the applicable Legal notice as well as EFL MB policies.

POLICY Because monitoring visits are unannounced, the schools are being requested to have certain information readily available to make the process of the visit as smooth and as efficient at possible. The following information may be requested:

1. List of the teachers employed at the time (including the EFL permit number). Please do not include teachers which are not still employed.

2. List of teachers working on the day (including EFL permit number). 3. Sample of feedback/questionnaires given to students. 4. Sample of end of course certificates.

This information is requested to ensure a fair and efficient monitoring exercise.




Pg. 17 of 19


POLICY 10 – PREPARATION FOR THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL VIS ITS

OVERVIEW The aim of this policy is to prepare EFL licensed schools in view of the academic school visits.

DEFINITIONS As laid out in the Academic School Visits policy.

POLICY Please refer to the Academic School Visits policy and contact us on [email protected] for further information or assistance.




Pg. 18 of 19


POLICY 11 – CARE FOR MINORS

OVERVIEW The EFL MB would like to draw the attention of all the EFL licensed schools that offer their services to minors, that the law puts more responsibilities on the shoulder of people organising courses and tourist packages to minors.

DEFINITIONS Minors - Students on language stays in Malta who are under the age of 18.

POLICY Section 4.4 of Part C of Legal Notice 60 of 1996 specifies that: “in the case of students who have not attained the age of eighteen years: (a) the provision of adequate supervision for such activities as may be organised by the school from time to time; (b) the provision of a 24 hour emergency service to student leaders, agencies and competent authorities and students in those instances where minors are travelling without an accompanying leader; (c) the taking of such measures as may be necessary to safeguard the general well-being of students during their stay in Malta;” Minors are defined under Maltese Laws as those falling below the age of 18 and thus schools are reminded to use the law as a measure and not elect to use any other age discretionally as the benchmark for what it considers to be minors. The EFL MB requests the full collaboration of all EFL licensed schools on such an important matter.




Pg. 19 of 19


APPENDIX 1 – TEMPORARY DOS ABSENCE TEMPLATE FORM

Name and Surname of person replacing the Director of Studies, acting as the school’s academic focal point

Qualifications of such person

Period of replacement

______________________ _____________________ Head of School Date _____________________

School Name

efl mb policies for licensed efl schools updated nov 2012

Documents