Job adverts for unfilled positions

[Expat Brad]

"1) the schools are offering bad contracts/salaries. 2) there is not enough teachers. or 3) the TCT have completely screwed up by demanding too high a standard for teachers to be able to be employed now."

All of the above but the main culprit is TCT. I am out because they didn't recognise my University. It wasn't on their less than comprehensive world list. If you can find it on their site apparently there are only approximately a dozen Universities in the world starting with the letter "A". If it's not there they wanted a Notorised certifying letter from the country of origin sent directly to TCT & that was a maybe. In my case that request would be virtually impossible.

To add I have been teaching for 2 years at one school & they didn't even allow me my 2nd waiver which is normally a given. My evaluation for renewal from my school was very good, the students like me, the school wants me to remain but NO from TCT.

There are 39,000 Government schools in Thailand & god I don't know how many foreign teachers but say at a minimum 80,000 so just how many of us are now NOT good enough anymore? How many schools & students will be affected by this?

Professional development courses over the last 2 years a hit & miss shambles regarding either "Thai Culture Course" & the very iffy "Education Certificate Courses". The result being NO professional development possible anyway. Yet another TCT fail.

Not to worry they will replace us with young people with zero experience who will drop out when they feel like working/holidaying elsewhere. This has happened at my school several times already. Kick out the ones that want to stay & do their job & employ the ones that don't......sounds great NOT.

[mmh8]

not wishing to go off topic, but the system is a bit ambivalent about its staff, face time, no pension , no career path, no prospects, I would be hard pressed to find any reason not to drop out whenever I wanted - ambivalence and dishonesty can go both ways. ok I don't work for one of these, none the less , the people who do and stick it are martyrs,

[sapson]

It would be wonderful if the NES teachers here could form a union which forced the minimum wage to be at least 45k in the boonies and 60k in Bangkok and 12 month contracts with proper medical insurance! Bupa policies with 50k limits don't cover major accidents or heart attacks etc.

Also how many teachers are obliged to work in non air conditioned classrooms in 37 degree heat surrounded by mosquitos and share pretty poor toilet facilities,whilst the school pours funds into any ceremonial events ignoring basics.

[Fullstop]

I don't care anymore. I'm leaving.

Better start practicing ... "Ni How, Ni How ma!"

Edited June 17, 2015 by Fullstop

[attrayant]

All of the above but the main culprit is TCT. I am out because they didn't recognise my University. It wasn't on their less than comprehensive world list. If you can find it on their site apparently there are only approximately a dozen Universities in the world starting with the letter "A". If it's not there they wanted a Notorised certifying letter from the country of origin sent directly to TCT & that was a maybe. In my case that request would be virtually impossible.

To add I have been teaching for 2 years at one school & they didn't even allow me my 2nd waiver which is normally a given. My evaluation for renewal from my school was very good, the students like me, the school wants me to remain but NO from TCT.

There seems to be quite a few people in this situation. I'm guessing that many who have few other options will continue to work without a work permit and hope for the best. The schools certainly don't seem to care if you're legal or not.

I came across this classified ad a few weeks ago and bookmarked it, but haven't had the time to really look into it:

Degree and Diploma in Teaching

Doing a wildcard search for "ifugao" turns up some threads such as this:

'Philipino' diplomas such as the CPT from New Era University or the Grad DipT from IFUGAO (if still offered) are acceptable & cost around B50,000.

I'm not sure if getting this teaching diploma would be a way for the TCT to "overlook" your disqualified university (I'm in the same boat, for what it's worth as my engineering college has been bought and sold two or three times in the thirty years since I graduated and the college's current name doesn't appear on their magic list).

[claffey]

"1) the schools are offering bad contracts/salaries. 2) there is not enough teachers. or 3) the TCT have completely screwed up by demanding too high a standard for teachers to be able to be employed now."

All of the above.

I agree with Duane, But I think the main one is expecting teachers with master's degrees rather than TEFAL ers, Who have at least studied the appropriate subject, to work for 30000 Baht/month ish teaching Children in a broken education system that mostly aren't interested in the slightest in learning English when you can get 3x plus the wages & be teaching kids that want to learn in a different country... If you had that masters degree would you really want to teach here???

They don't want teachers with masters degrees.That want teachers who are qualified!! I remember people on this very forum complaining about the standard of Tefl teachers. The government is not trying to drive away teachers.They are trying to get fully qualified teachers.The problem is that they will need to increase salaries in order to attract fully qualified teachers. There has also being many high profile cases about TEFL teachers with fake degrees, paedos etc.They are trying to tighten the rules. If TEFL teachers want to stay here they should get off their backsides and get qualified to teach.

[Rhys]

Thailand, she has his nails in ya..

[GarryP]

I would receive a small pension from the Thai government,

I think it's about 200 Baht a month ... enough to buy a large bag of rice.

You are referring to old persons allowance which is now actually 600b per month. This is paid to ALL pensioners in Thailand irrespective of payments to the social security scheme. The SSS is a separate payment, I believe you can choose a lump sum or monthly until death.

A Thai can choose. As a foreigner who has paid into the system you will qualify for lump sum payment only.

[Fullstop]

That want teachers who are qualified!! I remember people on this very forum complaining about the standard of Tefl teachers.

TEFL teachers with TEFL certificates ARE qualified. At least in China, Japan, Sth Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and just about everywhere else on the planet.

The government is not trying to drive away teachers.

They're not "trying to" ....but they "are".

They are trying to get fully qualified teachers.

They want, they want, they want. We know.

[Fullstop]

The problem is that they will need to increase salaries in order to attract fully qualified teachers.

They won't. They think foreign teachers are paid too much already.

There has also being many high profile cases about TEFL teachers with fake degrees, paedos etc.They are trying to tighten the rules.

Overly dramatic and exaggerated rubbish.

If TEFL teachers want to stay here they should get off their backsides and get qualified to teach.

With a TEFL certificate they are qualified. See first quote in post above this one.

What they "want" is for TEFL teachers, teaching their native language, to have Education degrees for circa 30k Baht. "Normal" teachers with Ed degrees don't usually teach TEFL classes. They work in International schools for 90k Baht ...or in another country.

Bottom line .... The TCT is playing with itself ..."for show".

Edited June 18, 2015 by Fullstop

[jdlancaster]

I can teach biology/science in the usa without a teaching degree (im sure its the same in other subjects)... they usually have a program setup for that in most states... usually low cost to get fully certified in that state. If there was a will they could get get it done but I don't think there is..When I was in my masters program I actually found most (not all)of the "qualified" teachers struggled with the actual subject matter even in a watered down "for teachers" section and were way behind. A school with an AP program might even benefit from a non education degree teacher with more expertise in the actual subject matter.

[casualbiker]

"1) the schools are offering bad contracts/salaries. 2) there is not enough teachers. or 3) the TCT have completely screwed up by demanding too high a standard for teachers to be able to be employed now."

All of the above.

I agree with Duane, But I think the main one is expecting teachers with master's degrees rather than TEFAL ers, Who have at least studied the appropriate subject, to work for 30000 Baht/month ish teaching Children in a broken education system that mostly aren't interested in the slightest in learning English when you can get 3x plus the wages & be teaching kids that want to learn in a different country... If you had that masters degree would you really want to teach here???

They don't want teachers with masters degrees.That want teachers who are qualified!! I remember people on this very forum complaining about the standard of Tefl teachers. The government is not trying to drive away teachers.They are trying to get fully qualified teachers.The problem is that they will need to increase salaries in order to attract fully qualified teachers. There has also being many high profile cases about TEFL teachers with fake degrees, paedos etc.They are trying to tighten the rules. If TEFL teachers want to stay here they should get off their backsides and get qualified to teach.

A Master's degree in education is qualified. Salaries are actually going DOWN not up. There are NO institutions in Thailand were you can get qualified in an English language B.Ed course. There are a few that do MA.Ed and one that does a teaching diploma.. But actually getting a list from khurusapha is near impossible!

[duanebigsby]

The problem is that they will need to increase salaries in order to attract fully qualified teachers.

They won't. They think foreign teachers are paid too much already.

There has also being many high profile cases about TEFL teachers with fake degrees, paedos etc.They are trying to tighten the rules.

Overly dramatic and exaggerated rubbish.

If TEFL teachers want to stay here they should get off their backsides and get qualified to teach.

With a TEFL certificate they are qualified. See first quote in post above this one.

What they "want" is for TEFL teachers, teaching their native language, to have Education degrees for circa 30k Baht. "Normal" teachers with Ed degrees don't usually teach TEFL classes. They work in International schools for 90k Baht ...or in another country.

Bottom line .... The TCT is playing with itself ..."for show".

I have been saying on this forum over and over, TEFL is good enough to teach ESL in most of the world and even in my home country I can do ESL in language schools, community colleges, gov't agencies, etc.

If Thailand opts for full B.Ed. degrees, English language education will plummet.

Claffy obviously thinks we're all drunk pedos who don't know what we're doing.

[HooHaa]

Lostinissan's true stories folks!!!

They certainly read like ESL.

[lostinisaan]

The problem is that they will need to increase salaries in order to attract fully qualified teachers.

They won't. They think foreign teachers are paid too much already.

There has also being many high profile cases about TEFL teachers with fake degrees, paedos etc.They are trying to tighten the rules.

Overly dramatic and exaggerated rubbish.

If TEFL teachers want to stay here they should get off their backsides and get qualified to teach.

With a TEFL certificate they are qualified. See first quote in post above this one.

What they "want" is for TEFL teachers, teaching their native language, to have Education degrees for circa 30k Baht. "Normal" teachers with Ed degrees don't usually teach TEFL classes. They work in International schools for 90k Baht ...or in another country.

Bottom line .... The TCT is playing with itself ..."for show".

A friend if mine just recently took off to China, the TCT was only a part why he'd made his decision. The brown tongued guys, also called colleagues, plus some other intern rubbish made his decision easier.

He made decent money and others here would be more than happy to have such an easy job. But the guy has got balls.

He could easily get a five year visa for China in Hongkong for 8 K Thai baht. It's just common sense that more and more people will follow and finally leave the "Land of Smiles", myself included.

It's only a matter of time. I'm living here for more than thirteen years now, support my wife, son and parents in law. But I'm treated like I'm new to this country? There's no five year visa, no " would you like to have a Thai passport after such a long time"? Nope.

I don't have the freaking feeling to thank anybody for being here so long. It's getting harder and harder to feed a family and have a car.

If I can't even have such a :"luxury", sorry, i don't wanna live here and drive around on a moped in the rainy season...

You can easily get a teaching position at a language school in Germany, only having a TEFL and make really good money.

Some, or maybe many of us do have family here and it's very complicated to get them to your country of origin.

Thai teachers from many schools are always asking me if I wouldn't have friends who're interested in teaching.. Sorry, no have.....

All the bs about a degree in education is disgusting. Does an online degree in edu from the Philippines really create better teachers?

Is this country really well known for the quality for their education? But they made a deal with the TCT.......

祝好运祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn ( good luck)

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

Zhù hǎo yùn

Edited June 18, 2015 by lostinisaan

[bigt3116]

It would be wonderful if the NES teachers here could form a union which forced the minimum wage to be at least 45k in the boonies and 60k in Bangkok and 12 month contracts with proper medical insurance! Bupa policies with 50k limits don't cover major accidents or heart attacks etc.

Also how many teachers are obliged to work in non air conditioned classrooms in 37 degree heat surrounded by mosquitos and share pretty poor toilet facilities,whilst the school pours funds into any ceremonial events ignoring basics.

None, because nobody forced the teacher to take the job. :-)

[bigt3116]

All of the last comments are right on target.

I am fully willing to work for the low salary simply because it's Thailand I want to live in.

But soon I'll be forced out. I hope I like Laos or Cambodia, Vietnam as much as here. China....more money...but sorry. I won't go there.

When i started teaching in 2005, there wasn't even a degree needed. Almost everywhere, people were asking me if I wouldn't like to teach English for them and I gave it a try, out of boredom.

When they gave me my SS number and there's a problem, I found out that those numbers on a SS card for foreigners don't even exist.

These numbers usually show age, gender,nationality, etc. If you think you can get your wife and kids into this scheme you're wrong, it works for Thai teachers married to foreigners, but not for us.

How many of us, who're legally married are in the same situation? WE clearly have the right, but we just can't make any use of it?

I've got the Thai SS act, it says nothing about nationality,it also clearly states that wives and kids of people who pay into the system are entitled to join the same benefits.

Would I be able to continue teaching for the next nine, or ten years, I would receive a small pension from the Thai government, plus the one I'll receive from my country of origin.

But I already know that I'll never be able to catch up with the always changing rules, laws and regulations.

And to be honest, I don't want to put up with all the crap day by day and year by year.

It's foreseeable that there'll be the day to say goodbye.

Oh yes there was !

"In 2003, a group of powerful and influential Bangkok language school-owners got together to form ‘Farang Rak Thai' (Farangs who love Thailand) It was the group's objective to march to the Ministry of Education (well actually they had an appointment) and try to convince the Chief Minister that the government's insistence on teacher's having a degree in order to obtain a teacher's license was doing nothing to ease the foreign teacher shortage, a shortage that was beginning to bite hard."

Edited June 18, 2015 by bigt3116

[bigt3116]

A friend if mine just recently took off to China, the TCT was only a part why he'd made his decision. The brown tongued guys, also called colleagues, plus some other intern rubbish made his decision easier.

He made decent money and others here would be more than happy to have such an easy job. But the guy has got balls.

He could easily get a five year visa for China in Hongkong for 8 K Thai baht. It's just common sense that more and more people will follow and finally leave the "Land of Smiles", myself included.

It's only a matter of time. I'm living here for more than thirteen years now, support my wife, son and parents in law. But I'm treated like I'm new to this country? There's no five year visa, no " would you like to have a Thai passport after such a long time"? Nope.

I don't have the freaking feeling to thank anybody for being here so long. It's getting harder and harder to feed a family and have a car.

If I can't even have such a :"luxury", sorry, i don't wanna live here and drive around on a moped in the rainy season...

You can easily get a teaching position at a language school in Germany, only having a TEFL and make really good money.

Some, or maybe many of us do have family here and it's very complicated to get them to your country of origin.

Thai teachers from many schools are always asking me if I wouldn't have friends who're interested in teaching.. Sorry, no have.....

All the bs about a degree in education is disgusting. Does an online degree in edu from the Philippines really create better teachers?

Is this country really well known for the quality for their education? But they made a deal with the TCT.......

祝好运祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn ( good luck)

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

Zhù hǎo yùn

No 5 year visa ? Incorrect - http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php perhaps you meant you can't afford it ?

[casualbiker]

A friend if mine just recently took off to China, the TCT was only a part why he'd made his decision. The brown tongued guys, also called colleagues, plus some other intern rubbish made his decision easier.

He made decent money and others here would be more than happy to have such an easy job. But the guy has got balls.

He could easily get a five year visa for China in Hongkong for 8 K Thai baht. It's just common sense that more and more people will follow and finally leave the "Land of Smiles", myself included.

It's only a matter of time. I'm living here for more than thirteen years now, support my wife, son and parents in law. But I'm treated like I'm new to this country? There's no five year visa, no " would you like to have a Thai passport after such a long time"? Nope.

I don't have the freaking feeling to thank anybody for being here so long. It's getting harder and harder to feed a family and have a car.

If I can't even have such a :"luxury", sorry, i don't wanna live here and drive around on a moped in the rainy season...

You can easily get a teaching position at a language school in Germany, only having a TEFL and make really good money.

Some, or maybe many of us do have family here and it's very complicated to get them to your country of origin.

Thai teachers from many schools are always asking me if I wouldn't have friends who're interested in teaching.. Sorry, no have.....

All the bs about a degree in education is disgusting. Does an online degree in edu from the Philippines really create better teachers?

Is this country really well known for the quality for their education? But they made a deal with the TCT.......

祝好运祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn ( good luck)

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

祝好运

祝好运

Zhù hǎo yùn

Zhù hǎo yùn

No 5 year visa ? Incorrect - http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php perhaps you meant you can't afford it ?

Well actually that is 5 x one year extensions and also a bit pointless for someone who is working, as working is prohibited!

[Fullstop]

Just heard through the school grapevine that the TCT website is offline. No more waivers or licences are being issued and wages are going up from next school year...

Will get back when I have more info.

Looks like things are moving ... at last.

[lostinisaan]

Just heard through the school grapevine that the TCT website is offline. No more waivers or licences are being issued and wages are going up from next school year...

Will get back when I have more info.

Looks like things are moving ... at last.

TCT being offline can only be positive. Would you stay, if they don't want a degree in education and pay you 5 K more?

Let's knock on wood and hope for the best.

[Stevemercer]

I'm interested why so many people say that teaching in China pays more? Why, then, are there so many Chinese teachers (teaching Chinese) in Thailand. Schools seem to have no trouble at all attracting Chinese teachers. Is it because the cost of living in China is higher?

I assume that most foreign teachers who only intend to work a year or two don't worry so much about work permits? I thought it was up to the school to organise this? One still gets paid whether one has a permit or not.

[Fullstop]

I'm interested why so many people say that teaching in China pays more?

Because it does. Simple as that. Also .. free apartments, airfares and bonuses.

Check out seriousteachers.com ...China jobs.

Why, then, are there so many Chinese teachers (teaching Chinese) in Thailand.

Because the Chinese teachers in Thailand are the same as TEFLers. They don't get as much as "normal" teachers or foreign teachers in China. They get more here. Edited June 19, 2015 by Fullstop

[attrayant]

Just heard through the school grapevine that the TCT website is offline. No more waivers or licences are being issued and wages are going up from next school year...

Will get back when I have more info.

Looks like things are moving ... at last.

I don't believe it for one nanosecond. Anyway sites being down in Thailand is nothing unusual. I'd be more amazed if the site had greater than 50% uptime.

I tried to check, but Google doesn't seem to have a clue what the TCT (or various permutations of the name) is. Is this it?

http://site.ksp.or.th

Edited June 19, 2015 by attrayant

[Stevemercer]

Thanks very much to 'Fullstop' for taking the time to answer my questions about Chinese teachers.

[Fullstop]

I don't believe it for one nanosecond.

Neither do I really. It's just second hand info relayed from the E.P office at my school today.

The Thai version of the site is up ... but not the English version. Read into that what you will.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Fullstop

[casualbiker]

I'm interested why so many people say that teaching in China pays more? Why, then, are there so many Chinese teachers (teaching Chinese) in Thailand. Schools seem to have no trouble at all attracting Chinese teachers. Is it because the cost of living in China is higher?

I assume that most foreign teachers who only intend to work a year or two don't worry so much about work permits? I thought it was up to the school to organise this? One still gets paid whether one has a permit or not.

Many of the Chinese teachers are here on government to government deals.

[smotherb]

1. Please read a just recently closed thread, where a guy decided to resign to be able to send more money back to his country and they haven't found a teacher yet, because the good ones already have a job.

Where's the new teacher?

2. The school sent all the documents to TCT, but they're not happy with a life experience degree. End of employment.

Where's the new teacher?

3. A school paid for a flight to Thailand, including some pocket money. But the "teacher" never makes it to the school. Used the money for some Pinp Pong ball shows.

Where's the new teacher?

4. It turned out that the "native English speaking teacher" makes more mistakes in spoken and written English than some of his grade five students.

Where's the new teacher?

5. ( The worst) It turned out that the "teacher" really loves his students in a way that he touched boys, or girls in a way that isn't suitable for a teacher.

Where's the new teacher?

6. The teacher was too drunk to come to work and had an accident with his motorbike and collided with another motorbike, where students from his school sat on.. Broken leg and a nice police report and the school is asking the same question.

Where's the new new teacher?

7. The agency promised to send seven NES teachers to a school, knowing that they don't have them. The school decides to look for their own staff.

Where's the new teacher?

8. The teacher only wanted to see a friend on Ko Panghan over the long weekend, but he's still hanging on LSD, doesn't come down.

Where's the new teacher?

9. A professional teacher only wanted to "make 35 K" to have money to fly to India. He/she's gone, nobody knows where to.

Where's the new teacher?

10. The new teacher got caught with a fake passport, when he/she wanted to cross the border. Free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a free room.

Where's the teacher?

11. The teacher wants to make a false insurance claim, calls the cops. They search the hotel room, find all the missing items, but also a big bag of Ganja.

Where's the new teacher?

P.S. All are real stories, not fiction. Cheers-

yes, and all in most part due to the fact that almost anyone who can even mumble in English can get a job teaching

[Fullstop]

yes, and all in most part due to the fact that almost anyone who can even mumble in English can get a job teaching

Utter rubbish. All the schools I've worked at "interview" teaching applicants. They DO NOT accept "anyone who can mumble English"

Stop being a drama queen repeating hearsay based rubbish. Next you'll be telling us something like "If you ride a motorbike in Bangkok you WILL die", or "All Thai girls have sick buffalos and want to deceive you out of all your money"

Grow up and stop trolling.

[nellyp]

Salaries are too low and and paperwork requirements are too difficult. More and more people are just going to China where they can make twice the salary and have half the paperwork headaches. In China they aren't kicking experienced workers out because they used up their licensing quota. So the low salaries are attracting fewer potential employees, and difficult work permit/visa requirements are driving existing ones away.

twice the money is a fallacy. more money is available, but twice as much for a government school is simply not the case