Thai govt backs down over jobs for unlicensed teachers

[webfact]

Govt backs down over jobs for unlicensed teachers
By The Nation

 

Teeraklat

 

BANGKOK: -- Education Minister Dr Teerakiat Jareonsettasin has bowed to pressure from the teaching profession over the plan to let people without licences apply for teaching jobs in any field.

 

“We have listened to the voice of teacher-producing institutes,” Teerakiat said on Tuesday. “Given that they think the original plan for the new rule might not be fair to their students who are in five-year undergraduate programmes, we have agreed to adjust it.”

 

The plan had faced intense pressure from teachers and institutes.

 

The rule will take effect on Wednesday, but with limitations.

 

Designed to woo graduates from various fields to the teaching profession, the rule now offers teaching jobs in just 25 of the 61 academic fields.

 

Interested candidates can apply for assistant-teacher posts from today until April 10.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30310546

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-28

[farang1979]

First question that popped into my head: Does this apply to foreign teachers or just Thai teachers?

 

 It sounds like just Thai teachers but the TV post and the news story are the same. Anyone got any solid facts?

[webfact]

Rule on recruiting unlicensed teachers changed after outcry
By Keskarn Boonpen,
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THE NEW RULE on recruiting people without a teaching licence to the profession has changed after intense pressure from teachers and training institutes.

 

The rule takes effect today, but will have limited effect. 

 

Designed to woo graduates from various fields to the teaching profession, the rule now offers teaching jobs in just 25 of 61 academic fields to |people without teaching licences. 

 

People interested in applying for assistant-teacher posts can do so from today until April 10. 

 

“We have listened to the voice of teacher-producing institutes,” Education Minister Dr Teerakiat Jareonsettasin said yesterday. “Given that they think the original plan for the new rule might not be fair to their students who are in five-year undergraduate programmes, we have agreed to adjust [the rule].” 

 

Teerakiat spoke after a meeting with the Teacher Civil Service and Educational Personnel Commission, which has introduced the rule.

 

The rule initially did not limit people without teaching licences to any fields. When it was unveiled earlier this month, it drew stiff opposition from education institutes.

 

Education permanent secretary Dr Chaipreuk Sereerak affirmed yesterday that people without teaching licences could apply for teaching posts in fields which the five-year programmes of teacher-training institutes do not cover, such as physical therapy, clinical psychology, financial/accounting, Myanmar and Vietnamese and Spanish language. 

 

“In addition, we agree to accept applications from people without teaching licences for eight fields that have not or hardly attract qualified candidates such as science, physics, chemistry, biology, English language and German language,” he said. 

 

According to Chaipruek, people without teaching licences who have successfully passed recruitment exams and interviews will receive intensive training from the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) before they start work. 

 

Obec secretary general Karoon Sakulpradit said only 9,508 people applied for assistant-teacher posts last year and just 874 passed the recruitment criteria. 

 

“For biology, only 461 passed the recruitment. That’s why we thought of attracting people without teaching licences to teaching jobs. The people, if qualified, can after all get training and apply for teaching licences later.” He said the move would help end the teacher shortage in many fields. 

 

Thailand Education Deans Council president Prof Dr Prapansiri Susoarat said the move could violate the rights of students studying in five-year education programmes at teacher-producing institutes because university graduates in other programmes need to spend just four years in campuses. 

 

“If the new rule will come out this way, should we reconsider reducing the duration of the education programmes?” she said. 

 

Programmes at teacher institutes have been extended from four to five years to boost teacher quality. 

Educators such as Assoc Prof Sumit Suwan from Kasetsart’s Faculty of Education and Asst Prof Dr Adisorn Naowanondha of Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, said there had been a serious lift in quality in recent years, with teacher institutes attracting students with greater talents. “But if you say graduates from other faculties can take teaching jobs too, who will want to enrol into education programmes that will take them one more year to graduate from?” Adisorn said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30310599

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-29

[Suttisan]

14 hours ago, farang1979 said:

First question that popped into my head: Does this apply to foreign teachers or just Thai teachers?

 

 It sounds like just Thai teachers but the TV post and the news story are the same. Anyone got any solid facts?

Foreign teachers have it better, can teach English with any degree. Although if you have a BA in English you don't need a TEFL or CELTA (that used to be the case anyway). 

[farang1979]

4 hours ago, Suttisan said:

Foreign teachers have it better, can teach English with any degree. Although if you have a BA in English you don't need a TEFL or CELTA (that used to be the case anyway). 

Not the case now. I have a BA in English and still had to produce a TEFL.

[12DrinkMore]

Quote

Obec secretary general Karoon Sakulpradit said only 9,508 people applied for assistant-teacher posts last year and just 874 passed the recruitment criteria. 

 

I guess 91% failed to provide an envelope with the minimum thickness.

[elgordo38]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

“We have listened to the voice of teacher-producing institutes,”

What a rare statement from a politician must be caveat time again. 

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

I guess 91% failed to provide an envelope with the minimum thickness.

Standard accessory for politicians 

[elgordo38]

If your a parent ask to see the teaching license of any teacher coming in contact with your children. For the sake of disclosure I do not have any of school age although they do act like school children at times. 

[farang1979]

If your a parent ask to see the teaching license of any teacher coming in contact with your children. For the sake of disclosure I do not have any of school age although they do act like school children at times. 

Haha. Vast majority of teachers in Thailand don't have teaching licences. Primarily because they make it so bewilderingly confusing to get one.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, farang1979 said:

 

 

Haha. Vast majority of teachers in Thailand don't have teaching licences. Primarily because they make it so bewilderingly confusing to get one.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

Is it a buy in job?

[muzmurray]

On 3/29/2017 at 5:24 AM, Suttisan said:

Foreign teachers have it better, can teach English with any degree. Although if you have a BA in English you don't need a TEFL or CELTA (that used to be the case anyway). 

 

It has NEVER been a legal requirement to have a TEFL or CELTA, it has only ever been something that the employer has asked for.

[muzmurray]

On 3/29/2017 at 9:27 AM, farang1979 said:

Not the case now. I have a BA in English and still had to produce a TEFL.

 

It has NEVER been a legal requirement to have a TEFL or CELTA, it has only ever been something that the employer has asked for.

[Olik]

On 3/29/2017 at 9:27 AM, farang1979 said:

Not the case now. I have a BA in English and still had to produce a TEFL.

That's business. I used to assist and teach at a TEFL center.  Your BA in English has more courses in teaching than your TEFL. I was only asked by less than 10% of my interviewers. My BA is Theology. 

[Olik]

On 3/31/2017 at 9:19 AM, muzmurray said:

 

It has NEVER been a legal requirement to have a TEFL or CELTA, it has only ever been something that the employer has asked for.

Yes, and I have observed that interviewers/employers used TEFL as an excuse to bargain your salary. 

[Scott]

When I interview people, I will ask about any subjects or experience related to teaching.   A TEFL becomes important when people may be otherwise qualified, but are really lacking in experience.  

 

Most people that have taken a TEFL course, especially in Thailand, can be turned loose in a classroom without many problems.   TEFL courses give people some good tools.  

 

I tend to think Teacher's should be fully licensed, although the use of Native speakers might better be used slightly differently.   Native speakers claim to fame is it is their 'native' language, but it begins to break down for many when it comes to such things as curriculum design, educational methodology, testing etc..

 

 

[sandemara]

A teaching ""profession"? in Thailand? Oh please, spare my stomach.  The presumptions and facade pressures brought about by pandering to "face"" has tainted Thailand's education system to the point that it - and the suffering children who come in contact with it - might never recover.