Job Discussion Forums

[evaforsure]

Last year I worked at a so called international school in Beijing and would like to post some of my disapointments with this school.

First the school is not legal, instead using another school's permit and will dummy (standard) contracts to reflect a lower salary as to avoid detection.

They will also deduct taxes, with out giving the teacher the tax break of 4000, 4800 thus taking additonal money out of your pay. Last year they did'nt provide proof of tax payment until being forced to by the staff.

While hiring practices regulate that teachers only with a teaching certificate are on staff, they have in the recent past hired staff without, and this is advertised as an international school.

This school will routinely sign a teacher to two years with a breach clause but this year when they experienced a down turn of students they broke their own contracts and refused to pay the breach charge.

Three staff members of a previous year were promised bonuses and were left holding the bag. The same thing happen to the ESL teacher this year.

It seems by opening a resturant in additonal to the schools, there are three, they have used up operating funds and even the kindergarden branch is broke.

This past year the classes were scheduled so that some teachers had as many as 36 hrs of class per week with a starting time of 8AM and a closing time of 4:30 pm, with after class and lunch room duties. Some teachers had to eat their lunch standing up next to the childrens tables due to additional duties given in addition to classroom duties. Many teachers were ask to teach additional ESL classes without additional pay or were ask to run night time or weekend activities such as PTA meetings.

There was a no-leave the campus policy that was replaced by a less strict one in which the teachers had to sign out and account for any moment they were not on campus, even to cross the street and buy refreshments.

They did pay almost on time and did offer a day trip once during the term.

Things may get better with the addition of a new pricipal but this is the 6 one in two years (3 last year alone) and it is not very clear how much power he will have in matters over the Chinese president, at any rate the office staff is taking bets to see how long he will last. I would not recomend anything to anyone but I feel a need to put out a cautionary note and tell any applicates that most of the teachers have left after a short time or after the first years contract.

If you are a teacher of standing in some country you can make more money in picking another international school becasue it is now in the plan to hire fewer teachers but make the work schedule longer.

[Lobster]

Thank you for a well thought out and well-written post.

RED

[evaforsure]

thank you Mr. Lobster, and I do appreciate you notice. I would not tell anyone not to take a contract, as I do have faith in the new principal, but do wonder why a well qualified man would work for a school that is not legal in their own right.

The problem with this institution is that the President is a micro manager in absentee. Rarely showing up at the office she does not know what comes about in a daily work day.

The tax problem was never resolved and the accounting office is a very rude place to try and do business.

But what I find the most difficult for me to accept is the breach of the contract clause. And I know the detractors would be the first ot say that if the school is not legal then you get what you deserve, but it is worth mentioning that teacher do not know of this until they examine their red work book and have someone translate who they are working for, or until they get a release letter from another school. BIBS has in the recent past forged signatures on government contract stating that the teachers only make 4000RMB so as to be able to avoid tax liabilities.

This, a warning to those who will apply to work there, and as I have said, if you are a licenced teacher, there are many more school that treat their employees with more respect.

Thank you again for your notice of this post.