Cap. 606 Art. 13Warrant or licence to practise the profession of kindergarten educator.   Cap. 518.   Cap. 518. Cap. 451.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person shall exercise the profession of kindergarten educator against remuneration or hold himself to be professionally qualified to do so unless such person is the holder of a warrant or licence issued under this Act.

(2) A person shall not qualify for a kindergarten educator warrant unless such person -

(a) is a Maltese citizen, or is otherwise permitted to work in Malta under any law; and

(b) is of good conduct; and

(c) has full legal capacity; and

(d) is not enlisted in the Register established under the Protection of Minors (Registration) Act; and

(e) is in possession of a full qualification at level 6 or higher of the Malta Qualifications Framework in early childhood education and care, or a comparable qualification which must include a teaching practice component and a pedagogical component. The qualification must include:

(i) a minimum of 180 ECTS/ECVETS or their equivalent and the qualification must furthermore include a training practice component having a value of at least 16 ECTS/ECVETS or their equivalent, with cohorts of learners aged between the ages of three (3) and five (5) years; and

(ii) a kindergarten educator licence; or

(iii) in the case of kindergarten educators in employment at the time of the coming into force of this Act, a certificate from a head of school certifying that the applicant has received adequate experience in the practice of the profession of kindergarten educator for a period of two (2) years; or

(iv) the person must satisfy the Council that he has received adequate supervised experience as a kindergarten educator in a licensed school for a period of at least two (2) scholastic years.

(3) A person shall not qualify for a kindergarten educator licence unless such person -

(a) is a Maltese citizen, or is otherwise permitted to work in Malta under any law; and

(b) is of good conduct; and

(c) has full legal capacity; and

(d) is not enlisted in the Register established under the Protection of Minors (Registration) Act; and

(e) is in possession of -

(i) a qualification in early childhood education and care at a minimum of level 4 of the Malta Qualifications Framework; and

(ii) in the case of kindergarten educators in employment at the time of the coming into force of this Act, a certificate from a head of school certifying that the applicant has received adequate experience in the practice of the profession of kindergarten educator for a period of two (2) years; or

(iii) the person must satisfy the Council that he has received adequate supervised experience as a kindergarten educator in a licensed school for a period of at least two (2) scholastic years.

(4) Without prejudice to any provision of the Mutual

Recognition of Qualifications Act, or any regulation as made thereunder, where the qualification has a rating of less than level 6 or level 5 of the Malta Qualifications Framework, as the case may be, or when the pedagogical or teaching practice components are less than those required by sub-articles (2)(e)(i) or (3)(e)(i), or where the applicant does not have sufficient experience in the practice of the profession as required by sub-articles (2)(e)(ii) or (3)(e)(ii), the Council may require the applicant to undertake such adaptation, not exceeding twice the shortfall as the Council may specify. In addition the Council may also submit the applicant to a proficiency test.