Teachers Being Let Go Up Country?

[mopenyang]

Has anyone heard of this in their area?

ajarnforum.net no-more-high-school-work

[garro]

I recently looked for employment in the local area (Phitsanulok) and was surprise at how little there was. A few years ago they were begging for native speakers everywhere you went. Things have changed. I did visit a few schools and they were all complaining about funding. I ended up taking work in a different part of the country.

It makes economic sense that they should replace native speakers with Fillipino ones. I think that this will occur more and more especially when schools discover that a lot of these Fillipino teachers are actually quite good. It is another negative trend for native speakers.

On a positive note, I do believe that there will always be some work for native speakers- just not as much.

[PeaceBlondie]

It is pretty scary. Keegan from Chiang Rai, whom I knew in years past, confirms that some schools without extra funding are letting go of their farang teachers, even one who has been there for 8 years with wife and kids. Ouch!

Others report that Filipinos are taking over a lot of jobs for less than 20K/month.

If you intend to make a life here more or less permanently (over five years, say; or wife and kids), you cannot remain at the bottom of the pile, for fear of being thrown out with the trash.

[garro]

I think that it's probably wise to not put all your eggs in one basket and try to have a business outside of teaching to fall back on. I hope to have more than one string on my bow.

[makavelithedon]

This is surprising. I remember when all the new regualtions first started to come through and the clamping down on visa hops to the border (that so many back packer type teachers had been doing) were also highlighted, that a hefty wage rise and short supply was only around the corner. Admittedly this hasn't happened!

Actually I've seen an ECC advertise 1/2 their 2 unit office for rent in the last few weeks so they must also be feeling the squeeze! When that happens it must be a sorry state. Can't see it's only Filipinos that are the cause. Some of the government school programmes stipulate native speakers only and are self-funded through parents paying for one scheme or another!

Don't know if this is a nationwide issue, may be interesting to keep an eye on though!

Edited March 10, 2008 by makavelithedon

[PeaceBlondie]

There are so many kinds of EFL jobs and subject area jobs in English, that we cannot generalize. The bottom end of the TEFL business is cheap charlie shit. It is the employers who are the cheap charlies, who simply refuse to pay over 30K in the provinces (although some schools do pay better).

[richard10365]

Raising your credentials might be an option for some who can afford to go to school. Payap has a the Master of Arts in TESOL as well as other TESOL training. Higher credentials could mean better opportunities and higher pay. For more info, click here http://tesol.payap.org/

[laidback]

This is surprising. I remember when all the new regualtions first started to come through and the clamping down on visa hops to the border (that so many back packer type teachers had been doing) were also highlighted, that a hefty wage rise and short supply was only around the corner. Admittedly this hasn't happened!

Actually I've seen an ECC advertise 1/2 their 2 unit office for rent in the last few weeks so they must also be feeling the squeeze! When that happens it must be a sorry state. Can't see it's only Filipinos that are the cause. Some of the government school programmes stipulate native speakers only and are self-funded through parents paying for one scheme or another!

Don't know if this is a nationwide issue, may be interesting to keep an eye on though!

I am a teacher who has graduated from TEFL. You have to be a native speaker of English. The Filipino is not the one taking the jobs. The Thai Government has cracked down on the requirements for teaching. You must have a Ma or BA degree. Plus you must have TEFL certificate. This certificate is now recorded with the Ministry of Education in Thailand. This is a new procedure here in Thailand. The reason is to keep the fake teachers with faked credentials out of the loop. I agree this is the way it should be. Some schools only require a TEFL certificate which is registered with the Ministry of Education. The British Schools require the Ma or Ba. Also a dgree in Business English will go a long way here in Thailand.

[PeaceBlondie]

I am a teacher who has graduated from TEFL. You have to be a native speaker of English. The Filipino is not the one taking the jobs. The Thai Government has cracked down on the requirements for teaching. You must have a Ma or BA degree. Plus you must have TEFL certificate. This certificate is now recorded with the Ministry of Education in Thailand. This is a new procedure here in Thailand. The reason is to keep the fake teachers with faked credentials out of the loop. I agree this is the way it should be. Some schools only require a TEFL certificate which is registered with the Ministry of Education. The British Schools require the Ma or Ba. Also a dgree in Business English will go a long way here in Thailand.

Well, gosh, this is news to me. You are saying that everywhere in Thailand, the entire government of Thailand (as it affects foreign teachers of English), you must have a BA and a TEFL certificate. Have I read your post correctly, laidback?

[garro]

I think one of the surprising things about all the new requirements is the absence of the word TEFL.

[mopenyang]

This is surprising. I remember when all the new regualtions first started to come through and the clamping down on visa hops to the border (that so many back packer type teachers had been doing) were also highlighted, that a hefty wage rise and short supply was only around the corner. Admittedly this hasn't happened!

Actually I've seen an ECC advertise 1/2 their 2 unit office for rent in the last few weeks so they must also be feeling the squeeze! When that happens it must be a sorry state. Can't see it's only Filipinos that are the cause. Some of the government school programmes stipulate native speakers only and are self-funded through parents paying for one scheme or another!

Don't know if this is a nationwide issue, may be interesting to keep an eye on though!

I am a teacher who has graduated from TEFL. You have to be a native speaker of English. The Filipino is not the one taking the jobs. The Thai Government has cracked down on the requirements for teaching. You must have a Ma or BA degree. Plus you must have TEFL certificate. This certificate is now recorded with the Ministry of Education in Thailand. This is a new procedure here in Thailand. The reason is to keep the fake teachers with faked credentials out of the loop. I agree this is the way it should be. Some schools only require a TEFL certificate which is registered with the Ministry of Education. The British Schools require the Ma or Ba. Also a dgree in Business English will go a long way here in Thailand.

Please provide a citation with url from the Thai MoE or Immigration mandating the requirement of a TEFL certificate to teach in Thailand.

[mbkudu]

I've come to the conclusion that a CELTA or TEFL (of any sort) is only for teacher development and that's it. These certificates should not be considered something to be presented to any government education ministry for any kind of visa or work permit requirement. These certificates should only be used in CVs to show a potential employer that you have some recognized training.

This is acceptable to be. In some companies this is stated explicitly, but in others it is not.

[stevemiddie]

I am a teacher who has graduated from TEFL. You have to be a native speaker of English. The Filipino is not the one taking the jobs. The Thai Government has cracked down on the requirements for teaching. You must have a Ma or BA degree. Plus you must have TEFL certificate. This certificate is now recorded with the Ministry of Education in Thailand. This is a new procedure here in Thailand. The reason is to keep the fake teachers with faked credentials out of the loop. I agree this is the way it should be. Some schools only require a TEFL certificate which is registered with the Ministry of Education. The British Schools require the Ma or Ba. Also a dgree in Business English will go a long way here in Thailand.

Hhahahaha ! Congratulations on your " graduation". Did you wear a gown?

Its not a requirement to be a NES.

Its NOT required that you must have an Ma or BA. ( at present )

You ARE NOT required to have a TEFL certificate. In fact the value of the TEFL/TESOL/CELTA maybe somewhat irrelevant to Thailand if latest postings about the TCT requirements have any value.

I see from a previous post of yours that you have renewed your retirement visa? How,s retirement treating you? Or are you now working? Hope the change of visa went ok for you.

May I advise that you go back to sleep? I think you have had a bad dream, or a somewhat unfortunate encounter with a cowboy TEFL training company.

Edited March 11, 2008 by stevemiddie

[Loaded]

Back to the OP

A large Government School in Chiang Mai - Yupparaj Wittalayai - are expanding their 'EP' Programme for next year and are recruiting teachers now.

[Whitey]

My wife was talking with a friend of hers recently who is a Filipina teaching in Thailand. She's been working at a government school and they lost their funding for foreign teachers so she and other teachers were let go. The highest paying position she can find is 15k per month and for the first time in 6 years, she is thinking about going back to the Philippines. She can earn that much teaching back in the Philippines.

[culicine]

My wife was talking with a friend of hers recently who is a Filipina teaching in Thailand. She's been working at a government school and they lost their funding for foreign teachers so she and other teachers were let go. The highest paying position she can find is 15k per month and for the first time in 6 years, she is thinking about going back to the Philippines. She can earn that much teaching back in the Philippines.

Yes I kind of wonder why many of them are here given the poor wages offered. My understanding, talking to the filipina teachers here, is that most have the teaching credentials (it's part of their undergrad degree). Correct me if I'm wrong. Thus most would be exempt from the licencing exams (unlike most farangs). Even for them it won't drive up their salaries. Their sheet number and resistance by parents keeps their salaries low.

The lowest salary for a filipino here is 17K I believe. It goes up from there. We have a few great teachers but also as many lousy ones! Applies to both falang and non-falang too!