The New South Wales Teachers Federation has accused the State Government of downgrading the qualifications required to be a school counsellor and is taking the matter to the Industrial Relations Commission.

Previous school counsellors in NSW had always needed to have dual qualifications in teaching and psychology.

But the Education Department has now advertised for "school psychologists" without requiring teaching qualifications.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said the change was needed to help the Government recruit more than 230 new counsellors in schools — a commitment it made during last year's election.

"It shouldn't be a requirement that a psychologist also has a teaching degree and is required currently to have taught for a year," Mr Piccoli said.

"That just simply means it's impossible to recruit schools counsellors and psychologists into our schools.

"There is a desperate need [for counsellors].

"There are great people out there who don't have teaching degrees — psychiatrists, psychologists.

"We want them working in education."

But Federation president Maurie Mulheron said both qualifications were needed to do the job effectively, and support children with learning difficulties.

"These people work with principals and deputies and fellow teachers," Mr Mulheron said.

"They work on the child's literacy, numeracy and learning needs, as well as their emotional wellbeing.

"I was a principal for 10 years and the school counsellor was invaluable in that role, working alongside teachers as a fellow teacher."

Union backlash about membership, not education: Piccoli

Mr Piccoli suggested the union was running a self-interested campaign on the issue in order to try to increase its own membership.

"When a person has a teaching qualification, they must belong to the teacher's federation," Mr Piccoli said.

"Without that qualification the union no longer has a handle on that particular person.

"So this is about union membership more than education."

Mr Mulheron said the union had raised its concerns with the department but they had been ignored.

"The Federation has attempted to negotiate with the department for some time and we have not got anywhere," Mr Mulheron said.

"They have moved unilaterally without any negotiated settlement, so we're taking the department to the Industrial Relations Commission saying they are in breach of the award."

He said the Industrial Relations Commission had been notified of a dispute.