Phuket Schools Relax Rules For Hiring English Teachers

[webfact]

Phuket schools relax rules for hiring English teachers

Phuket Gazette

Schools in Phuket Town are struggling to attract native English

speakers as teachers, a factor that may leave Thailand behind in

the AEC 2015 race. Photo: Rex Pe

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket.

The move is aimed at combating a critical staff shortage, explained Office Director Jian Thongnoon.

“We need about 100 English teachers, but right now we have only about 50 teachers and some of these are not very good in English. This is a big emergency that we need to solve,” he said.

Among the reasons for the staff shortage were that many English teachers had moved from primary to middle schools, and teachers were applying for early retirement, the director said.

“Ideally, we have to hire teachers specifically trained to teach in English. Just hiring native English speakers is not really worth it because these people do not have teaching skills. However, in the meantime we will have to hire teachers who just have English skills until we can find qualified teachers who have both English and English-teaching skills” Mr Jian explained.

Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising expressed his concern that an ongoing shortage would have a serious impact on Phuket’s ability to remain competitive after the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) charter comes into full effect.

“This is a top priority. The AEC comes into effect in 2015, so the sooner we resolve this issue the better. Neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia already have good English skills, so we will be at even more of a disadvantage if we do not have enough English teachers to educate our children.

“Many English teachers have retired from OrBorJor schools this year. We have been announcing that we need English teachers, but there have been very few applications,” said Mr Paiboon.

Mr Paiboon explained that the problem is not restricted to OrBorJor schools and that other relevant officials are facing the same problem. Officials from the OrBorJor, Phuket City Municipality and the Primary Educational Service Area office will continue to meet to discuss strategies to overcome the problem.

“The OrBorJor will start by teaching English to existing teachers so they can teach the children and we will hire native English speakers to help,” Mr Paiboon said.

The long-term strategy involves coordinating with educational institutions in Phuket in order to fill the skills gap, said Mr Paiboon.

“Previously, educational institutions in Phuket have been catering to the needs of the tourism and hotel industries, but having English teachers is very important.

“A shortage of English teachers will affect our children’s English skills, which will result in Thailand not being able to compete [economically] against other countries,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11431.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-11-14

[Lannatyne]

For some reason, I don't think 3 years, 1 month, and 2 and a bit weeks is long enough to solve the English language problems!

You reap what you sow. This ASEAN AEC is going to cause big problems for Thailand.

[Disinto]

Great, we'll therefore see yet another bunch of cheap "English teachers" with no real teaching accreditation and who will not care about teaching properly (just have fun, fun, fun). Yeay.

[Lingba]

How about offering a better salary to those who are qualified instead of the same ole unattractive, low wage standard thats been going on for years...."you get what you pay for!"

[mrwebb8825]

A good start would be to raise the salaries offered. I've passed on every position advertised down there because they want to pay "backpacker" salaries. Also, adding insurance and housing allowances would help.

[impulse]

I've rarely seen a shortage of any kind of employee if the salary is right.

Edited November 14, 2011 by Scott
Link to another posters profile removed

[melvinmelvin]

For some reason, I don't think 3 years, 1 month, and 2 and a bit weeks is long enough to solve the English language problems!

You reap what you sow. This ASEAN AEC is going to cause big problems for Thailand.

I agree with that.

But its quite a step forward (and necessary for any rectification) that a realisation of that English would be useful in AEC is growing.

[GBK]

Spot on. I have friends who teach and the salaries are awful and one hasn't had a raise since he started, 7 years ago.

[PaulHamon]

You reap what you sow. This ASEAN AEC is going to cause big problems for Thailand.

chai laew

[Jirapa]

Spot on. I have friends who teach and the salaries are awful and one hasn't had a raise since he started, 7 years ago.

Yeah and everything's gone up about 50% since 7 years ago and that's without equating the strong Baht into the equation. Sure teachers get paid in Baht but if like me your income comes from abroad you'll have noticed how much it stings us also.

[eslbill]

Chai laew duay!!

You reap what you sow. This ASEAN AEC is going to cause big problems for Thailand.

chai laew

[OliverPludra]

"Ideally, we have to hire teachers specifically trained to teach in English. Just hiring native English speakers is not really worth it because these people do not have teaching skills. However, in the meantime we will have to hire teachers who just have English skills until we can find qualified teachers who have both English and English-teaching skills".

Doesn't sound that the ones without teaching skills could get a work permit...it seems like government schools don't care about that at all.

[scotto]

Also not mentioned is that Phuket is more expensive for all foreigners and rents are expensive too so i agree with others

pay more and you will get better teachers who will want to stay and teach also maybe make the visa a little bit easier to get for teachers,

if Thailand really wants the better teachers for their children they should at least look at these things for a start

[brimacthai]

A lot of this has to do with the wages. I know a guy that teaches at Uni level and get less than 30K a month. But a lot of it has to do with location... we have an ELS and we're offering 60K a month... but when you say it's in Surin they're not interested. Still needing two TESOL teachers...

[bridge2bridge]

Great, we'll therefore see yet another bunch of cheap "English teachers" with no real teaching accreditation and who will not care about teaching properly (just have fun, fun, fun). Yeay.

Sorry but i do not agree that all non qualified teachers do not care, i am not qualified and would love to teach english to primary school kids, but how do i apply if i do not have formal qualifications?

[borabora1]

Thanks for mentionning.

Wages of foreign teacher seemed to have been steady since years.

Increased cost of life will not help.

I guess some teachers employed few years back are no longuer in thailand this year.

Good luck Thailand, but back in the days with lots of English native teacher, the level wasn't that good anywayy.

Spot on. I have friends who teach and the salaries are awful and one hasn't had a raise since he started, 7 years ago.

[Disinto]

Great, we'll therefore see yet another bunch of cheap "English teachers" with no real teaching accreditation and who will not care about teaching properly (just have fun, fun, fun). Yeay.

Sorry but i do not agree that all non qualified teachers do not care, i am not qualified and would love to teach english to primary school kids, but how do i apply if i do not have formal qualifications?

Then you can't teach. Why the average English-speaking Joe, despite his best will, would be allowed to teach English without a certification? Teaching is no small feat and is a job like any other.

[cowslip]

as far as I can see this has nothing to do with hiring foreigners to teach English, it is solely concerned with hiring Thai teachers?

[skybluestu]

as far as I can see this has nothing to do with hiring foreigners to teach English, it is solely concerned with hiring Thai teachers?

Here is the very first sentence.

'The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket.'

[Just1Voice]

There was an article in the "other" paper sometime last year, don't remember exactly, in which the Education Minister proposed bringing in something like1,000 or more qualified Native English Teachers, and paying them a salary of 80-100k a month. That idea died before the ink on the newspaper had even dried.

A little over 2 years ago I was asked by the head of the English Dept of a well known school here in Chiang Mai to join their staff as an English Teacher. I have a B.A. in English Composition & Creative writing. I told him I would like to observe for a week first before giving him a decision.

On Monday, my first day, the teacher gave the students a tests. These students are in the 12-13 year old age bracket. The test took up the entire class period, so I talked to her about teaching and how things were done there, and the more I heard, the less I liked. The next day the teacher announced to each student what their grade was, but did not return their papers. When I asked why, she informed me that "We don't do that." I asked how they were supposed to know what they got wrong so they wouldn't make the same mistake the next time and she merely shrugged and said: "Not my problem."

After that class I went to talk to the head of the English Department and told him about it. He also just shrugged and told me that is the way they school said they have to do it. He doesn't agree with it either, but that's the way it is.

That's all it took for me to make my decision.

If Thailand cannot overcome their "superiority" attitude, and fear of "loss of face" by asking a foreigner to help, and are willing to pay for it, they are never going to get good, qualified English Teachers here. And if they think the "loss of face" would be bad now, wait a few years and see what happens in the AEC when Thailand finds themselves "sucking hind tit" because of their lack of English skills. I could be wrong on this, but I read somewhere that even the current Foreign Minister cannot speak English!

som nom na!

[zappalot]

as far as I can see this has nothing to do with hiring foreigners to teach English, it is solely concerned with hiring Thai teachers?

did u read the first sentence in this article?

"The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket."

Else:

And of course there are English professionals out there without a degree but a good ability to teach. As well as there are qualified ones with degree who aren't worth a single satang...

[cowslip]

as far as I can see this has nothing to do with hiring foreigners to teach English, it is solely concerned with hiring Thai teachers?

Here is the very first sentence.

'The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket.'

..didn't see that....but the rest doesn't make sense

e.g.: - "Among the reasons for the staff shortage were that many English teachers had moved from primary to middle schools, and teachers were applying for early retirement, the director said."

I'm thinking that this isn't about hiring foreign teachers, maybe the repeater has made an assumption?

again have I missed something?

What changes are being made?

How can Phuket make changes on its own....surely the requirements are national?

Edited November 14, 2011 by cowslip

[happylarry]

as far as I can see this has nothing to do with hiring foreigners to teach English, it is solely concerned with hiring Thai teachers?

did u read the first sentence in this article?

"The Phuket Primary Education Area Office has relaxed the requirements for foreigners to be hired as English-language teachers at government schools in Phuket."

Else:

And of course there are English professionals out there without a degree but a good ability to teach. As well as there are qualified ones with degree who aren't worth a single satang...

I agree with cowslip....They are going to relax the rules on hiring foreign teachers because they are losing their Thai nationality (English) teachers and cant replace them. Dont just read the first sentence , read the next four as well.

HL

[paulmw]

A lot of this has to do with the wages. I know a guy that teaches at Uni level and get less than 30K a month. But a lot of it has to do with location... we have an ELS and we're offering 60K a month... but when you say it's in Surin they're not interested. Still needing two TESOL teachers...

Where in Surin the only one I have seen is 30K

[skybluestu]

A lot of this has to do with the wages. I know a guy that teaches at Uni level and get less than 30K a month. But a lot of it has to do with location... we have an ELS and we're offering 60K a month... but when you say it's in Surin they're not interested. Still needing two TESOL teachers...

Where in Surin the only one I have seen is 30K

30k per teacher

[sydneyjed]

If the schools down there are only offering 'backpacker' salaries as someone stated, then that's surely all that they can hope to attract in the way of quality teaching...Who and where does the funding come from for the teaching positions anyway?Is it at an individual school admin' level or is the funding fom the local education authority?If the schools aren't serious they can not hope to fill positions with quality teachers going down this path!!

Edited November 14, 2011 by sydneyjed

[MaiChai]

Anyone who can teach English in Phuket can probably make more money servicing the tourism industry than government schools? I mean hotels, etc, will pay more to train their staff than schools will. Thailand has very few social infrastructure so you need to earn as much as you can, and thus take the best paying jobs.

[Foggy Bottom]

A lot of this has to do with the wages. I know a guy that teaches at Uni level and get less than 30K a month. But a lot of it has to do with location... we have an ELS and we're offering 60K a month... but when you say it's in Surin they're not interested. Still needing two TESOL teachers...

Where in Surin the only one I have seen is 30K

The correct answer would have been ...

Where in Surin? The only position, that I have seen, offered B30,000.

I'm guessing that you eliminated yourself from the candidature?

[Schlanbusch]

There is obviously a problem with teaching pupils in the english language, at least in Phetchabun province, since no one in my wife's family can speak a single word of English.

[anterian]

The most useful move that the education system could make would be to Romanise the Thai alphabet, this is the biggest obstacle to learning English, and conversely for foreigners learning Thai. Just look at how Turkey emerged from the Middle Ages when it converted from Arabic to Roman.

As to unqualified but native speakers, these can do an adequate job if the department also contains enough qualified and experienced teachers to provide guidance. At the moment it is often the one eyed leading the blind.