Job Discussion Forums

[Blade]

[sigmoid]

[j.jake]

can anyone give the names of the schools referred to in the original post ?
which schools were they "sacked" at and which schools were "checked" ?

[johnyarrington]

I second the emotion of sigmoid and j.jake. Which schools exactly are we talking about? When exactly were they checked? By whom?

Most importantly, could you please give the source of your information? I mean to say, how do you actully "know" this?

[sigmoid]

Actually, I was not expressing any doubts about blade's comments, but was just requesting more details about the harrassment of teachers by the gov't or schools.

The situation in Vietnam is getting out of hand and is being closely watched by the TEFL community.

Well, not really... as there truly aren't that many people who are interested in teaching in Vietnam anyway.

At any rate, the details are not that important as the sentiment. Whatever advantages teaching in Vietnam once held are being diminished. If they want teachers, they should put out the welcome mat. If not, they can continue with they're doing.

[lexpat]

Okay. This is what appears to be happening. Schools, especially the big foreign owned schools like ILA, APOLLO, etc. are being put under pressure to employ only teachers with work permits. A teacher has two months after being hired to get his or her paperwork together. For people from some countries, it is possible to do it all here in Vietnam.

Your degree, cert, a criminal background check, medical check, all must be notarized and processed through the Vietnamese embassy or consulate back home. This requires sending original documents, crossing your fingers, and waiting. Note that some of this has changed a couple of times in the year or two that 'the rules' have existed.

Enforcement, however, is something that is just starting. Teachers at a few schools have had their classrooms entered and they have been told 'you will never work in Vietnam again' by the government. I know of no deportations of teachers. Teaching pedophiles yes. Straight up teachers, no.

Nobody, not the teachers, not the administration of the schools, not the Viet staff, knows what will come next. I know of some schools owned by influential people that are 'exempt.' Teachers at these schools have been told that they need not worry. The government 'trusts' the administration to check teachers docs.

Come on guys, this is Vietnam...figure it out

Are teachers leaving? Yeah they are. Are they still arriving? That I don't know. I do know thatt with SITC - and some other school whose name slips my mind - going under and not paying staff and teachers, there are still applicants about. If nothing else, they need onward passage money.

[larryB]

[VC]

[Blade]

Can someone confirm what a teacher at Cleverlearn told me this week.

A teacher at Cleverlearn said that some teachers were suspended for not having work permits and they have brought in young looking backpackers.

Any word on this?

[lexpat]

Blade,

Yes. Teachers w/o work permits who have been at the school for more than a couple of months have indeed been suspended. Coverage of their classes, as far as I know, is being handled by the remaining teachers.

BTW, I doubt there is any school less likely to hire 'backpackers' than Cleverlearn. This is a function of the integrity of the American academic director who would rather hire qualified teachers than backpacking hearthrobs, even if that means losing a segment of the college-age-woman-looking-for-Western-man market.

He has a different marketing strategy than some other people running schools. I'm not sure it will work long term, but I admire him for it.

[sigmoid]

[laconic]

[Blade]

[lizarddoctor]

Cleverlearn better be paying for the work permits. It is a law that ALL schools pay for the work permits for their teaching staff. It is the teachers responsiblility to get all their own paperwork in order.

The work permit is not to be a barganing chip for a school. If you negotiated well enough before they hired you, then there really isn't an issue and again THE SCHOOL HAS TO PAY FOR IT.

I heard also this week that VUS tore up a bunch of year long contracts from teachers who didn't have work permits and made them sign 3 month contracts to get around some of the legal loopholes in the work permit issue. I am still waiting on more details though. In my opinion, VUS did them a favor as many VUS teachers are looking elsewhere after a few months anyway.

[Snaff]