Firing and Hiring new teachers every year?

[Chris Daley]

Does anyone understand why Thai schools relentlessly hire and fire teachers each year?  Why is teaching considered temp work when it is required all year around in an academic year?

 

I was sitting in the office one day and the loud speaker was blaring.  They always broadcast the morning assembly.  ''So students your old teachers have gone home now, lets make the new ones feel welcome!''  Or more accurately ''Khun kru tangchaat glab prateet laos.  Kru glap baan laos na''.  No it's not true.  They didn't have their contracts renewed.  They did not ''go home'' voluntarily.  I even had one student ask me ''So teacher are you going home next year?''  It took me a while to figure out what she meant.  They lie to the students every year.  I had a message on line from a student asking ''Where are you!''.  He was surprised I was still in Thailand.

 

As far as I can tell the scam works like this:

 

-  school gets government subsidy money for the ''bidding process'' of new teachers.

-  the money gets diverted to the hundreds of ''lieutenants'' ''officers'' ''vice'' ''assistant to the'' and so on

-  the new teachers are hired for 11 months

-  they do not have provide bonusses, file taxes or provide healthcare

-  the teachers are removed and the contract is not renewed

-  the process starts again

 

And then we have the teacher agencies which further the corruption.  Shady companies that change their name every 12 months.  They provide the teachers illegally since the teachers have no degrees and false passports stamps.  The teachers are blackmailed into working for a low salary and the government subsidiary is split between the agency and the school.

[youreavinalaff]

It seems your conspiracies answer your questions.

 

It likely goes on but it's not the norm anymore.

[TimeMachine]

Sounds about right. I gave up teaching in Thailand. Not much incentive compared to other countries. It's almost like there is negative incentive. But then again I've given up on life so don't listen to me.

[Skipalongcassidy]

Successful students make for successful teachers... have you ever considered that?

[Bunny Silverhand]

It's true. I had a conversation with a retired teacher when I was in Savannakhet two months ago. It's all about money and corruption.

[HappyExpat57]

It's commonly understood corruption is an acceptable daily part of Thai life, and schools are no exception.

 

I worked on and off for 10 years at several branches of the largest private school system in Southeast Asia. The advice given to all new farang teachers from existing farang teachers: "We're not here to teach, we're here to give the appearance of teaching." Of course that was a little tongue in cheek, but there was a lot of truth to that statement.

 

The examples of corruption ran strong with that school, from the directors on down. If they can avoid paying a promotion or any other bonus to a returning teacher, well it's just cheaper to let that teacher go and get another fresh victim.

[Expat68]

Not sure about the hiring and firing every year? I have many friends in the city where I live who have worked for the same schools for years

[1FinickyOne]

I lived near a small Thai city - - every year there were new English teachers at my kids school - - they were all doing 'gap years' and were just taking a year off w/none wanting a 2nd year... 

[DavisH]

On 10/21/2023 at 12:43 PM, Expat68 said:

Not sure about the hiring and firing every year? I have many friends in the city where I live who have worked for the same schools for years

Most in my school have been there 5+years, many 10+years and a few 20+ years. 

No school in their right mid these days hires and fires teachers to somehow save a few baht.  I see very few backpackers these days, as most schools hire qualified non-native speakers and they work for less and don't complain as much. 

[ThaiFelix]

On 10/20/2023 at 7:31 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

It's commonly understood corruption is an acceptable daily part of Thai life, and schools are no exception.

 

I worked on and off for 10 years at several branches of the largest private school system in Southeast Asia. The advice given to all new farang teachers from existing farang teachers: "We're not here to teach, we're here to give the appearance of teaching." Of course that was a little tongue in cheek, but there was a lot of truth to that statement.

 

The examples of corruption ran strong with that school, from the directors on down. If they can avoid paying a promotion or any other bonus to a returning teacher, well it's just cheaper to let that teacher go and get another fresh victim.

I reckon I worked for the same cash cow, the president, now passed was well known as being insane , loyalty over skills or experience, provide as little as possible but extract the max from parents while all the time fooling everyone it is a Hi So 'school'.