Teacher Licensing, Culture Testing, TCT

[Tatler]

Hi, I'm a teacher at an international school here in LOS and I have recently been told that I have to take a cultural training course. I have been here 8 years and speak pretty fluent Thai, can read and write, know heaps about the culture (have had a Thai wedding etc.).

The Thai Language, Culture and Ethics Course is given by several institutes. Some are 3 consecutive days, others are 2 weekends. The costs vary between 4,000 and 8,000 THB. There is NO test or exam. You will get a certificate though.

When you would have applied for a TCT-Teacher License before the end of 2006, you would have been exempted and by now you would be one of the happy few with the Teachers License of The Teachers' Council of Thailand.

http://www.ksp.or.th/upload/301/files/570-8429.pdf Clause 6.

Petch01

Petch01,

Could you clear a few things up for me please??

1) i have had my teachers license since 2004, am i exempt from doing the Thai culture course?? New visa rules?? documents??

any advice would be great

[garro]

I have been offered a new job which I was pleased to accept. It is a 360KM away from where I now live and they made me attend two interviews, but what the heck. I have made my way there on my trusty Honda wave and spent a couple of nights. I was there last week and provided all they requested for the work permit and teachers license. Everything seemed to be going alright despite what I've been reading on the forums. I thought that I was going to be lucky.

I got a call today to say that there are problems. I need to travel back down to the school because my application is not as straightforward as they first thought - hmmm. I need to get a TL before I can apply for work permit and new visa. I have to change my non-o visa to non-b. They want me to go to Bangkok to get a teachers license after I visit them at the school.

My problems are that I don't seem to meet the requirements for the TL or for the 2 year grace period and temporary license. I have a degree and TEFL and will have a PGCE hopefully by August. The problem is that it has taking me less than a year to complete and this not meet the requirement for a education course of 'at least a year'.

Another problem is that I have mostly worked as a volunteer teacher and don't think that this can be used as previous experience teaching (No wp, no TL). I did work full-time teaching five years ago but it wasn't legit. So this means that I don't qualify for the grace period?

It seems like a nice school but the person looking after my paperwork seems very vague about everything. I think that she is 'lost at sea' when it comes to the new requirements.

Any suggestions about what I should do would be gratefully accepted.

Edited March 4, 2008 by garro

[Ijustwannateach]

I hate to say it, but you might be one of the few for whom the "Thai culture courses" recently touted in this forum are necessary. It may be a nightmare, but pay the money, jump through the hoops, and get into the system now before it gets even harder to be legal.

"S"

[garro]

<br />I hate to say it, but you might be one of the few for whom the "Thai culture courses" recently touted in this forum are necessary. It may be a nightmare, but pay the money, jump through the hoops, and get into the system now before it gets even harder to be legal.<br /><br />"S"<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Thanks IJWT, if it's just the case of doing the culture course then I'm not too worried.It only takes a couple of days doesn't it?

I am more worried about the other requirements in regards education qualifications and experience. I thought that completing a PGCE would make things easy, but it doesn't seem to be making much difference.

Edited March 4, 2008 by garro

[twschw]

Your post scares me. I got my work permit and an extension until the end of September on my non-O visa. This all happened at the end of January. Now, according to your post your potential new employer is saying that you need to change your visa and get a Teacher License before the work permit. Am I legal or what? I have tried so hard to follow all the rules and for what?

[Petch01]

Petch01,

Could you clear a few things up for me please??

1) i have had my teachers license since 2004, am i exempt from doing the Thai culture course?? New visa rules?? documents??

any advice would be great

Teachers are exempted from any requirement if they were appointed as teachers prior 11 June 2003.

Petch01

Edited March 4, 2008 by Petch01

[garro]

Your post scares me. I got my work permit and an extension until the end of September on my non-O visa. This all happened at the end of January. Now, according to your post your potential new employer is saying that you need to change your visa and get a Teacher License before the work permit. Am I legal or what? I have tried so hard to follow all the rules and for what?

Maybe the fact that you are already in the system will mean that your fine.

I'm really not sure. Perhaps you will need to do more courses/exams?

I suppose it depends on what qualifications you have.

I am personally finding the whole thing a bit depressing.

I sort of fell into teaching, but I do love the job and believe that I'm good at it.

I know many others could say the same.

I have spent a lot of time/money trying to obtain qualifications which now seem not enough.

[sbk]

I was under the belief that it wasn't necessary to have a non-B to have a work permit, perhaps your new employer is unaware that one can work on a non-imm O (as long as its not retirement). Perhaps the requirements are different for teachers?

[garro]

I was under the belief that it wasn't necessary to have a non-B to have a work permit, perhaps your new employer is unaware that one can work on a non-imm O (as long as its not retirement). Perhaps the requirements are different for teachers?

Hi SBK, I did mention this to them but they weren't interested. The woman who is dealing with my paperwork has only dealt with non-b visas and she has no wish to learn about anything different.

[sbk]

Perhaps find the regulation in the thai books and print it out for her. Maestro, I think, has all the immigration regulations in Thai on hand.

[withnail]

Personally I'd say look for a job at a school that does know what they're doing before you start changing visas unnecessarily. Or, if you're not in a rush to start work, wait until the dust settles and people are more sure of the requirements (or the powers that be have backtracked and scrapped the whole system).

[garro]

Personally I'd say look for a job at a school that does know what they're doing before you start changing visas unnecessarily. Or, if you're not in a rush to start work, wait until the dust settles and people are more sure of the requirements (or the powers that be have backtracked and scrapped the whole system).

Thanks withnail, I would feel bad about breaking the contract that I just signed. I have already arranged for somewhere to live and they required a three-month deposit!

If I didn't have a family here I would probably go teach somewhere outside of Thailand.

[TerryLH]

"You have one now to give you two years time to meet the requirements or am I wrong?"

I think that's right. There is supposed to be a meeting here in KK in the near future to try to figure out what we'll all need to do.

"I've had no problems getting a wp for the last 7 7 years without a TEFL certificate..."

Culicine, just how old are you? Keep on trucking.

"I doubt he has ever been legal, and I am not sure he could verify what experience he has."

The TC did, finally, accept some work done without WP for the experience. But it was with us, so the office gal was able to get info faxed to them to verify it. Not sure what docs they used.

"TerryLH,

You can see that there isn't an application for a temporary license."

My TL from the TC is all in Thai, which I can't read. I was told it was for two years. Can't remember if I was told it was temporary or just assumed that. That is the form that I filled out.

[bottlenose]

Just seen this post dated today on ajarn.com forum under paperwork-No TL = No Visa Extension - You Need To Do The Course , sounds promising:

"Update: We had one of our teachers go in for an extension of his visa and work permit yesterday. He has been teaching in Thailand for 1 year. This was in Rayong, and he was told that the culture course requirement will not be enforced until next year. There was no mention of a teacher's license or the proficiency test. He received his one year extension without a hitch."

[spot]

Wow. It seems like a red tape nightmare.

I'm pretty sure that that you CAN sort stuff out on a Non-O. Like sbk said, print the info out and show the school. Check on Ajarn too.

Reading some of these posts about the hassles (prospective) teachers are having would put me off Thailand.

Why would anyone bother, the pay isn't that great, but the hassles are.

[too true]

I've been working on a Non O for 4 years. When I changed schools at the beginning of the last school year in August my school asked me to switch to a B visa but I maintained that I wanted my visa tied to my family and not my job and they gave in pretty quickly. I would be suspicious of a school that refused to do paperwork on your O visa - they know they have more control over you if your visa is tied to your job. You can't just up and leave if things all go up in smoke. Not that it's about being able to break contract easily, but things are often not what the seem here, and rules are always changing. How is your PGCE not a 1 year program? Surely it must take you 2 semesters to complete all the work, no?

Good luck with it all.

TT

[PeaceBlondie]

What would make your PGCE look like it only took 10 or 11 months? I think they might never think of that.

Garro, I do not know what to say, except that you demand that the school make you legal before you move. Demand. Meanwhile, I suggest you look for work at a place that knows how to process paperwork. And, don't demand it to the clerk; demand it to the clerk's highest boss. Oh, I do not mean 'demand' in English; just a mae dai sort of "I cannot come if you do not get me my visa and work permit.

[TerryLH]

For what it's worth, we asked for the following language to be put in our contract. As you can see, there are protections for both the school and for the teacher.

The school didn't have a problem including it.

Note: If The Teacher is unable to provide the required documentation The School will no longer be required to finance a teacher’s license, work permit or visa.

Note: If The School fails to obtain or apply for any necessary paperwork in a timely manner, they will be financially responsible for all fines or penalties levied on The Teacher because of it. If The Teacher fails to provide, or is late providing needed paperwork – The Teacher will assume the responsibility.

[garro]

Well the good news from the school is that they have agreed to use my non-o visa. They contacted the labor office and immigration today and apparently it's fine and from here on in 'mai pen rai'. Neither office anticipates any problem with my application but I'll feel better when I actually have the extension in my passport.

Too True: my PGCE is over 2 semesters but is less than a year as there are 3 semesters in a year.

[Xangsamhua]

Our current teacher doing this course told me yesterday she has now finished and has her licence. It took her only a couple of months, self-paced, doing her own research and sending in reports. The only attendance requirement was an initial seminar for a day or two.

Dr Areewan is now accepting applications for a new course to start in March. Cost is THB12000. Those interested should email her at [email protected] and write in the subject block: English Program BSRU. That's the only subject heading she'll check.

I hope this helps. I have no personal involvement in the course, but we have had two teachers do it now and it has met their requirements.

Xangsamhua

[Petch01]

Dr Areewan is now accepting applications for a new course to start in March.

Xangsamhua,

Thank you very much for this update. What I like to know is whether her course is the equivalent of the Grad.Dip.TF. or is it a preparatory course for the TCT Professional Knowledge Tests.

Thanks.

Petch01

[Xangsamhua]

Dr Areewan is now accepting applications for a new course to start in March.

Xangsamhua,

Thank you very much for this update. What I like to know is whether her course is the equivalent of the Grad.Dip.TF. or is it a preparatory course for the TCT Professional Knowledge Tests.

Thanks.

Petch01

It seems an odd kind of course. I don't know if it's the equivalent of anything, but it appears to satisfy MoE requirements for licensing of teachers who hadn't previously been able to do so. I doubt the course, being so self-managed and able to be completed in such a short time, would meet anyone's criteria outside the specific context of meeting minimum requirements to get a teacher's licence.

The Grad Dip TF (foreign teachers?), if I'm thinking of the right course, normally requires two semesters and costs about 50K (well, the Ramkhamhaeng course does). Its instrumental purpose may be to get a teacher licensed, but is presumably a more substantial qualification than the BSRU one.

I'm not aware of the BSRU course being a preparatory program for the qualifying tests.

I don't know anything more about the BSRU course than what I've been told and what I have passed on. I'm not personally looking to do any of these qualifying courses (except the culture one). I had a short phone conversation with Dr Areewan a few weeks ago, but didn't ask the questions you've asked. Anyone interested in the course should email Dr Areewan and find out what they can. We have a couple of teachers here who will be contacting her, so I'll ask them to put your questions and will report back whatever we find out.

Cheers

Xangsamhua

[too true]

Well the good news from the school is that they have agreed to use my non-o visa. They contacted the labor office and immigration today and apparently it's fine and from here on in 'mai pen rai'. Neither office anticipates any problem with my application but I'll feel better when I actually have the extension in my passport.

Too True: my PGCE is over 2 semesters but is less than a year as there are 3 semesters in a year.

Glad to hear its all working out for you. I think there are actually only 2 semesters in a year, and an academic year at university technically runs for about 9 months, just like an academic hour is 50 minutes or something like that.

Surely you wouldn't have a problem with your PGCE. All over the world people complete their PGCEs or equivalent in 2 full semesters, from September to Mayish (in the northern hemisphere).

Hope you enjoy your new job

[Petch01]

Xangsamhua

Thank you very much for your info.

Sorry, typo

The Grad Dip TF

should be Grad. Dip.T.P.

Petch01

[Petch01]

Well the good news from the school is that they have agreed to use my non-o visa. They contacted the labor office and immigration today and apparently it's fine and from here on in 'mai pen rai'. Neither office anticipates any problem with my application but I'll feel better when I actually have the extension in my passport.

Good luck at your new job.

Petch01

Edited March 7, 2008 by Petch01

[ilyushin]

Interesting program. Under construction on several key pages though.

Are there any other institutes offering a similar program and that has details of upcoming courses?

[makavelithedon]

Does anyone have a link to download the application for the new teacher licence?

Admin have taken all week to do the paperwork and now they don't actually have the application and have rung around in a panic to no avail as yet! I can see the usual merry-go-round has started and we've only just finished this term!

Mak

[amrishtony]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone know about teaching certificate required or not for a PE Teacher?? I have a Bachelor in Physical Education and a Master Degree in Physical Education and Sport Science...

Thanks

[garro]

I am not 100% sure but my impression is that you should have your qualification in education or the subject you want to teach. If that's the case you should be fine, but as I say I'm not sure. I know that there are many English programmes which have health studies and maybe you would be suitable for this.

Edited March 11, 2008 by garro

[PeaceBlondie]

If your qualifications are as a teacher of health and PE, you could do that in Thailand, but so can Thai PE coaches. You probably would need to find an international school.