Alleged Teacher's License Requirements

[coconutmonkey]

Hi Everyone,

Happy new year!

I'll try to make a long story short.

Currently employed at ***********School, our school principle says that ALL TEACHERS IN THAILAND are to complete a course at St.Theresa's college for a teacher's lisence (fee:100000 baht, every weekend, 16 months) if they wish to stay in Thailand.

Apparently (according to him) the teachers council (KRUESAPA) have officially recognized this course ONLY. Others such as Mission college, Ramkamhaeng, etc, are not officially recognized under the new requirements for a teachers lisence.

If teachers do not do this, they will not be permitted a teachers lisence. Our school chairman is enforcing this, stating that anyone who does not enroll in the course will NOT get a contract renewal at the end of this school year.

Furthermore, other employees of schools I have contacted (Grace, Keerapat, Thai schools, etc) say they do not know of this at all.

Adittionally, the school principle and his academic director are the two main lecturers in this course. It has been suggested that they have formulated this plan with an official of KRUESAPA to ensure greater enrollments for their course and St. Theresa, as well as 'tip off' the KRUESAPA guy. Keep in mind this is just a rumor, for now.

One teacher tried to enlighten everyone that this was not required as stated, however he was reminded of his position and how much he should therefore say (free world? help each other? Yeah, right).

While this may be genuine (or not), it seems strange that:

St. Theresa's is the only college officiallly accepted while two of our big bosses are holding the classes

Ours is the only school enforcing this at the present time; no renewal of contracts this year for those not enrolling

Outside collegues are not aware of this sudden requirement or enforcement

All teachers in Thailand HAVE TO do it at St. Theresa's ONLY: it will be a difficult weekendly endevour for those living in Hat Yai or Nong Kai.

Please shed some light on this and be aware that some posters may be those involved.

Another collegue has attempted to contact KRUESAPA, though 'the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing'.

Any civil feedback welcome and thank you in advance. Please refrain from using names directly.

I will include an email from the said school principle below.

Edited December 30, 2009 by coconutmonkey

[coconutmonkey]

Copy of email to all employees:

"Teachers who would like to continue teaching in Thailand and would like to do the St. Theresa Graduate Diploma to obtain teaching license - please come and pick up your application forms. The first course starts on Jan 16, 2010. Ms. ****** checked and double checked the list of institutions that offer such a program for licensing purposes - so far, in the whole of Thailand - only St. Theresa offers and accredited, Teacher Council approved graduate diploma. If you don't want to do this, it means that you already have a teaching license or you are choosing not to teach in Thailand anymore - as Mr. ****** e-mail indicated, teachers without such credentials will not be renewed for next academic year. This is NOT the school's requirement - it is MOE's regulation that we need to adhere. It was also found that Framingham and other online or distance education programs are not approved for teaching license. However, they are recognized as valid Master's degree programs (useful for you to move up in the salary schedule, but not useful for licensing in THAILAND). As for those who are waiting for Mission College to get the "approval" they said they are getting (for the past three or four years) - I advise you to move forward as the chances of MC getting approved are very small. This applies to Ramkhamheng University programs as well.

The first course at St. Theresa will be taught by our own Mr. ****** - "Language and Technology for Teachers" (more information in the next e-mail)

Thank you."

[Slaps]

Not a teacher but this sounds serious, affecting many here

[Ijustwannateach]

This all sounds very suspect. As far as I know, there is a Teacher's Council of Thailand (TCT) which has pretended to create requirements and tests and licenses for the last few years- none of which has stood much scrutiny. I seriously doubt that St. Theresa's would be the first in line for what would be a GOVERNMENT fee mill. And I wouldn't accept any statement from anyone at a lower level than the *government itself* (which has as of yet declined to make any official statement to my knowledge) of which courses are ACTUALLY qualifying- even the TCT balked at forcing themselves to be that transparent.

This *seems* to be a scam running between the involved persons at your school and perhaps someone involved in the program mentioned- probably for the purpose of creaming part of the 'apparent' fee off into their own pockets. Get a lawyer.

I have renamed the thread to avoid uninvolved parties unduly panicking. 99%++ chance this is simply corruption at your school in operation.

[coconutmonkey]

This all sounds very suspect. As far as I know, there is a Teacher's Council of Thailand (TCT) which has pretended to create requirements and tests and licenses for the last few years- none of which has stood much scrutiny. I seriously doubt that St. Theresa's would be the first in line for what would be a GOVERNMENT fee mill. And I wouldn't accept any statement from anyone at a lower level than the *government itself* (which has as of yet declined to make any official statement to my knowledge) of which courses are ACTUALLY qualifying- even the TCT balked at forcing themselves to be that transparent.

This *seems* to be a scam running between the involved persons at your school and perhaps someone involved in the program mentioned- probably for the purpose of creaming part of the 'apparent' fee off into their own pockets. Get a lawyer.

I have renamed the thread to avoid uninvolved parties unduly panicking. 99%++ chance this is simply corruption at your school in operation.

Thank you. I have edited to remove the school name.

[coconutmonkey]

Another (previous) email to all employees:

"If you haven't got a valid education certification - e.g. Bachelor of Education, Master of Education from a recognized university or college - you will have difficulty getting work permit next academic year (or whenever your work permit expires). The MOE is going to enforce this seriously next year onward - so, if you haven't done anything yet, please do so asap! ##### is firm about its teachers being teacher trained and certified - if you are, then you will have no problem getting teaching license and work permit.

I understand that some of you have done some studies at Mission College and/or Ramkhamhaeng University - Graduate Diploma in Teaching from these schools are NOT recognized by Teacher Council - hence you will not be able to get the teaching license - that's because certification is different from teaching license. You could be certified, but not licensed to teach... and the Govt. Body that controls quality of teachers is Teacher Council.

So far, there is only ONE international program that is recognized by Teacher Council - St. Theresa INTI College - this college offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and this diploma could be used to get teaching license.

There are a couple of people in the school who have already indicated that they are interested in the program.

There is a batch starting Jan 2010 (second week). Classes will be held every Saturday (9:00 am to 4:00 pm) - hence the course consisting of 9 subjects will be completed in 16 months - however, if students wish to finish faster, they could have crash courses during syouummer/other breaks.

The cost for the whole program is 106,000 Baht for individual enrollment. However, if we have a group - we could negotiate fee. The fee is payable in installment.

Please send me an e-mail asap if you are interested in the program - with your name!

If you plan to do online degrees, etc. please check with Teacher Council if they are recognized and would be considered for teaching license. Another mistake you should avoid - do not do Educational Administration specialization unless you are applying for School Administrator License. The best specialization is CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION - if you really want to become a good teacher and at the same time get a teaching license... =) A general degree in Teaching will also be problematic because Teacher Council may not accept some of the courses in the program - so, be careful. Teacher Council has a set number of courses that they require... and St. Theresa's program delivers the required courses - not more not less.

Thank you"

[Loaded]

The whole content contradicts what I've heard, seen and experienced. As IJWT said, it's from someone trying to scam their teachers.

[Ijustwannateach]

I have heard from other schools where certain 'uninterested' employee parties connected with the visa process tried to market necessary 'courses' to their teacher employees. If in doubt, go to the TCT yourself and ask- they do issue credentials to individuals, as that is supposedly their 'job'- and so far they haven't been brazen enough to deny credibility to foreign credentials (they will be in a fix if they do, as technically that would invalidate ALL foreign credentials, and then there will be no pool of employees!).

[Loaded]

<snip> The first course at St. Theresa will be taught by our own Mr. ****** - "Language and Technology for Teachers" <snip>

No kidding

[aussiebebe]

I think that this school is misinformed about the way to get a Teacher’s license in Thailand. There are a series of four tests which you need to take over a Saturday and Sunday, if you want to get a teaching license in Thailand without being qualified in your home country. I think the tests cost 1000baht each and are impossibly hard. If anyone knows the website where you register they could post it up here.

[Nio]

Give them 106,000 and let us know what happens?

Your principle might need a new Mercedes

St. Teresa's? Give me a break. This is not Chula or any school with any real credentials.

If Thailand was in fact requiring a teachers license, you can bet your bottom the course would not be offered at St. Teresa's

But then again this is Thailand, so if there is a way to scam money, they will find a way

This never hit the news anywhere, in fact there are recent news reports of shortages of 30,000 to 40,000 teachers

Edited December 30, 2009 by Nio

[givenall]

This all sounds very suspect. As far as I know, there is a Teacher's Council of Thailand (TCT) which has pretended to create requirements and tests and licenses for the last few years- none of which has stood much scrutiny. I seriously doubt that St. Theresa's would be the first in line for what would be a GOVERNMENT fee mill. And I wouldn't accept any statement from anyone at a lower level than the *government itself* (which has as of yet declined to make any official statement to my knowledge) of which courses are ACTUALLY qualifying- even the TCT balked at forcing themselves to be that transparent.

This *seems* to be a scam running between the involved persons at your school and perhaps someone involved in the program mentioned- probably for the purpose of creaming part of the 'apparent' fee off into their own pockets. Get a lawyer.

I have renamed the thread to avoid uninvolved parties unduly panicking. 99%++ chance this is simply corruption at your school in operation.

I teach management courses in a university and I will wait till the school tells me I need to take a test

[thunder30101]

You have two choices really, call their bluff by inquiring at the MOE about their claims which are surely bogus and prob never get your contract renewed, or pay the money and play their game. It looks like they have smelled the money and went in deep on this, the loss of face involved will be great.

[PeaceBlondie]

CHANGE JOBS

[thunder30101]

Yes I would def change jobs if your financial situation will let you, the best thing to do would be for all current teachers to make it clear that no one will be renewing their contracts and will not be paying their extortion money. Let them try and find all new teachers that are willing to give them 106K to teach at a 30K a month job. There is nothing wrong with a school wanting their teachers to be certified but this is not the way to do it and paying 106K when the rules constantly change is def not fair.. And by the way universities are not under the tct rules of certification.

[coconutmonkey]

Original Poster

Thanks for all the replies; all the posts are appreciated.

This said school is an International School, and there are alot of people who are following blindly on the word of these supervisors.

The supervisors themselves are not Thai nationality, if that makes any different to peoples perspectives or not. They are foreigners employed on work permits likewise. If a scam, I would expect it from some previous schools of lower 'stature' (misleadingly, of course), though it seems dishonorable for foreigners to target foreigners this way from an International School. I need to get with the times, obviously I'm still in the dark ages.

I have checked the websites of

St. Theresa

KHRUSAPA

MOE

Ajarn.com

and no website mentions such a thing of these new requirements.

Please continue posting any thoughts or information.

Soon some of the teachers at the said school may read this and need to hear from others around the nation that you have not heard of this at all. Some I have talked to don't seem to be concerned and will do it; spending their weekends and money for something that may not be real, if so, may not be really enforced, and is going to take a long time and a substantial sum of cash.

Thank you again to all the posters for your generosity in posting your information/thoughts.

Happy New Year!

[thunder30101]

You could have saved some typing if you would have said they were not thai. Go straight to them and kindly say you have researched their program and found nothing to verify their claims of the validity of their program but will give them the benefit of the doubt by going to the MOE office and discussing it directly with them and watch them squirm. As my british friends say what a bunch of wanke_rs lol. But Im sure you know retribution will follow this move, but no way in hel_l would I let another farang screw me like this.

[coconutmonkey]

Thanks Thunder30101. I just hate to give up the salary and the extra work of finding a new job.

Your suggestion is worthwhile.

[PeaceBlondie]

I thought true-blue, real international schools only hired fully qualified teachers.

[alyx]

You could have saved some typing if you would have said they were not thai. Go straight to them and kindly say you have researched their program and found nothing to verify their claims of the validity of their program but will give them the benefit of the doubt by going to the MOE office and discussing it directly with them and watch them squirm. As my british friends say what a bunch of wanke_rs lol. But Im sure you know retribution will follow this move, but no way in hel_l would I let another farang screw me like this.

Would you any other Nationalities?

[Scott]

Apparently you can't copyright the word "international" so it's fairly easy to insert it into the name of a school, as well as terminology like 'international program' etc. The true-blue international schools are the ones that are accredited by their home country and their hiring principles follow the rules of the home country. They may additionally have other laws to follow in the country they operate.

I know a lot of teachers in these schools who don't meet any specific criteria--such as a degree in education, experience, and in a few instances not even a bachelor's degree.

[thunder30101]

Well alyx if you dont understand we are guests in thailand and it is their country which gives them the right to run their programs any way they like even if we dont agree with it, I dont know what to say to you other than I seriously doubt if you live or work here.

[jonclark]

This is a scam pure and simple. Call the MoE and also let Ramkanheng Uni know their degree / diploma isn't worth anything, in terms of getting a teachers license, see what response you get. Preferably in writing. Sure St, Theresa s' may offer a course, but i bet it isn't the only one. Think this through a single institute offering the only fully accredited course in all of Thailand for all foreign teachers - Nope utter junk.

Interested to know what your principle thinks teachers with PGCE should do??

A fool and his money are easily.......(you fill in the gaps)

[ThaiOz]

My school, a government school in Pattaya has informed all teachers that they must have a BA. Edu. or Grad. Dip. Edu. by April this year (2010) or they will no longer qualify for a teacher's license, visa (non-imm or work permit. We have also been informed by the Ministry of Education that the Graduate Diploma in Teaching offered by Ramkamhaeng University is not certified and is not able to be used as part of a teacher's license application.

[Ijustwannateach]

ThaiOz, if that is so, can you post an image of the letter in which you were informed of this? It would be a remarkable departure from previous claims by Ramkamhaeng, as well as a remarkable display of transparency by the MOE. Feel free to black out the sections mentioning school name or staff names, for privacy concerns.

If this wasn't in print, it probably wasn't worth the air it was spoken with- so many people are misinformed or have 'other agendas' (or delusions).

[Scott]

What is of interest here is that we now have employees of two different schools being informed that there is some attempt to implement the changes made to the Teacher's License regulations a few years back. That is worrisome.

I just spent the better part of an hour with our administrative person who handles these issues and she is not aware of any change but will do some checking. She is reluctant to call the Teacher's Council or the MOE, but will check with a counterpart of hers who is informally better connected with these people.

These folks have been sitting around for quite a while doing nothing much, so it's about time for them to make a major cock-up of some sort.

Any other information that posters may have would be appreciated as well.

[Loaded]

I just spent the better part of an hour with our administrative person who handles these issues and she is not aware of any change but will do some checking. She is reluctant to call the Teacher's Council or the MOE, but will check with a counterpart of hers who is informally better connected with these people.

More than one school director has told me the TCT won't answer phone calls and/or emails. I know the MoE Education Office 1 in Chiang Mai has tried to get clarification from the TCT concerning certain issues and they can't get through as well (well they told us that anyway).

Edited January 4, 2010 by Loaded

[Credo]

Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum....the sleeping giant has been awoken and needs to eat. Farang teacher's for lunch, perhaps?

[Dizzle]

This is an interesting situation indeed. Ill have to check on this with our personnel director.

I thought true-blue, real international schools only hired fully qualified teachers.

I think the problem here is the definition of "fully qualified teachers". I currently work at what most would consider a "true-blue, real international school", the rather large, well-established one in Minburi, and we do occasionally hire teachers that might not fit under some school's, or even our own, definition of fully-qualified. This is especially true in emergency situations.

In fact, contrary to popular belief, we have quite a few non-western teachers (Filipinas, Indians, and so forth) that would more than likely not be hired by the school in question, assuming the school in question is the school that I suspect it to be. Will check on this too.

[Phatcharanan]

I thought true-blue, real international schools only hired fully qualified teachers.

In fact, contrary to popular belief, we have quite a few non-western teachers (Filipinas, Indians, and so forth) that would more than likely not be hired by the school in question, assuming the school in question is the school that I suspect it to be. Will check on this too.

Not Bromsgrove then !