With the closure of the WTEFLAC it’s time to reflect on its achievement and what legacy it left behind.
The TEFL sector has faced challenges over the past couple of years over the quality of courses on offer and the accuracy of the information available. Amongst all the courses on offer over the internet all too many were unable to match the bold words in their marketing material with high-quality professional standard courses.
When it was launched the World TEFL Accrediting Commission (WTEFLAC) set out to bring accountability and transparency to the sector. It attempted to raise overall standards and set a clear standard against which all providers could be judged.
Now with the news that the organization has shut down, it’s reasonable to ask whether it truly met all its goals.
What was the WTEFLAC?
The WTEFLAC provided accreditation of TEFL and TESOL providers using its code of conduct. This covered basic criteria of what a good course provider should look like including the content of the courses, qualifications of the trainers and staff and the company’s commitment to equal opportunities.
Whenever a provider applied, they would submit company statements and would be assessed against this criteria. Those that passed would be allowed to display the WTEFLAC logo on their website.
What did it achieve?
Putting this process in place achieved several things.
Setting the standard: The code of conduct successfully created a framework against which all providers had to be assessed. Not only did it help them make the accreditation process fairer and more transparent, but it also established a criteria for anyone looking to assess a provider. If you’re searching for a course, this code of conduct gives you details that you can check yourself.
Reducing risk: Assessment also reduced the uncertainty and risk of choosing a provider.
Providing information: The WTEFLAC website was also full of information about the TEFL sector and teaching in general. It provided students with plenty of information to take their studies further and to improve their own skills.
Encouraging transparency: A key issue for the accreditation process was marketing material. The WTEFLAC wanted to ensure all content and information published by providers was accurate, transparent and honest.
That meant making sure marketing material reflected the course on offer.
The closure of the WTEFLAC suggests much of that work might have been left undone. However, during its lifetime, the WTEFLAC helped shine a light on the industry and brought accountability and transparency into a place where it had sadly been lacking. It has advanced standards and transparency in this field and the work will continue into the future.