Early childhood teacher Donna Hayday had UK qualifications, but was told she had to re-train in NZ.

With a science degree, a recognised teaching certificate and six years of experience, British-trained teacher Catherine Barak thought she would be a shoo-in for a job here.

But she wasn't and more than 10 years later, she's still not teaching in a New Zealand primary school.

Experienced early childhood teacher Donna Hayday is also out of her preferred profession after her UK qualifications were not accepted and she was told she would have to complete a three-year degree.

CHERIE SIVIGNON/STUFF Catherine Barak says she has a passion for teaching, especially maths.

"I'm a Kiwi myself but what makes New Zealand so special that training from the UK is not accepted over here," Hayday said.

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Both women live in the Nelson-Tasman region and said teaching was their passion. They were saddened they were not working in their chosen fields.

QUENTIN JONES/STUFF Obtaining the right to teach in New Zealand classrooms is not always straightforward for people trained overseas.

Barak has a degree in zoology from Durham University. She also has a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE), which is a recognised qualification in New Zealand.

During her six years as a primary school teacher in the UK, she held roles as acting deputy, department head and maths co-ordinator.

"I was really hot on maths," Barak said. "I love teaching maths."

CHERIE SIVIGNON/STUFF Donna Hayday says she believes her qualifications and experience should enable her to work in New Zealand preschools.

Barak applied for New Zealand registration in 2006.

"I thought it was going to be easy because it's easy for the Kiwis in the UK," she said. "I know that because my cousin runs a supply agency in the UK and she snaffles up the Kiwis and the Aussies, and she processes the paperwork within a week and then they're good to go."

However, the process in New Zealand took "months and months".

"They wanted all sorts of things," Barak said. "I had my degree certificate but they wanted exactly what was in my degree."

Barak said she could understand the requirement for details of her degree if she was teaching at secondary level but she believed it was unnecessary for primary school teaching.

"There was no common sense to it. Why do you need that? You've got that I've passed this degree. It's from Durham University. They could have checked very easily and quickly that I was there and that I'd done it."

Eventually, she sourced the requested information "but even when I gave them the transcript, it took them ages and ages to process".

"Good job we had the funds but if you didn't have the funds, you'd have to go back to the UK – you couldn't sit around doing nothing."

Barak was eventually registered but by then she was pregnant. She has since been home schooling her children.

When she looked to return to paid teaching, Barak discovered she had to complete a Teacher Education Refresher (TER) course at a cost of $4000.

She did not have the money, time or ability to rearrange her young family so she could attend the course. In November, her provisional certification lapsed, she said.

Education Council professional services general manager Pauline Barnes said the council had recognised the cost of the TER course was a "significant barrier" for some teachers so it went out to the market in 2017.

"As a result, the courses for 2018 are closer to the $2000 mark."

In December, Education Minister Chris Hipkins had announced the costs of the TER would be met by the ministry for teachers enrolled and starting the course before June 30.

Barak said she expected to have to upskill in some areas including te reo and the specifics of the NZ curriculum but did not believe she needed to retrain in areas such as maths.

Hayday, too, expected to be asked to complete a year's extra training in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and te reo but she was surprised to be told she had to complete a three-year degree.

"I couldn't believe it especially since that [having her qualifications assessed] cost $750 and the letter said if you're not happy with the decision and you want us to relook at it, it's going to cost $250."

With children of her own, she did not have the time or money to asked for a review of the decision or complete a degree.

"It's kind of soul destroying," she said. You think: 'Why do I have to prove myself, I've been doing this for 24 to 25 years, I've got six kids, I do actually know what I'm doing."

Hayday said she had been updating her skills constantly since she graduated in 1986 with the National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) qualification, the result of two years of training. She later qualified as a preschool manager, which involved a year-long course and an interview with the UK Government's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted).

Hayday managed two different preschools for four years and three years respectively in the UK. The second preschool was part of North Somerset Council, she said.

Since she returned to New Zealand, Hayday had completed other courses including a tikanga Māori course through the Open Wānanga.

She said she believed her qualifications and experience were up to scratch.

"It doesn't make any sense."