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SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

I just received an Email from a friend teaching in a certain (unmentioned by their request) Chinese Province at a Private School.

It seems the local authorities raided the school to check certain issues, safety of the classrooms, staff training and required all the FT teachers to prove they had the following items:

1. Degree
2. Correct Visa status
3. Teaching qualifications (this was met by experience, education/degree, ESL certificate ect. still unclear on this one)

Some rumors going around about looking into criminal backgrounds too. I asked "why" and was directed to a story that was connected to the recent incidents with some private schools about student deaths.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/21/ap/asia/main3285895.shtml

Here is the story for those in China as news is often blocked:

China Alarmed Over School Bus Deaths
Report: China Orders Preschool Inspections After 3 Toddlers Die On School Buses

BEIJING, Sep. 21, 2007

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(AP) China has ordered tougher inspections of private preschools and kindergartens after the deaths of three toddlers who were left on school buses for up to seven hours, state media reported on Friday.

In the latest case, 2-year-old Qiu Chenyang died on Monday after he was left on a bus for seven hours in Dongguan, a city in southern Guangdong province, the official Xinhua news agency said.

The boy's mother put him on a bus to the Aixin Bilingual Kindergarten at 8:30 a.m. and when other children got off, the boy stayed on, perhaps as punishment for crying, Xinhua reported. School officials found him seven hours later and took him to a hospital where he was declared dead from suffocation, it said.

Temperatures in the area that day topped 93 degrees, the report said. Qiu's death was being investigated.

A 20-month old child died Aug. 20 in Guangdong's Foshan city after being left on a school bus for six hours, the report said. On May 29, a 3-year-old in central Anhui province was found dead after being left on a bus for six hours.

Xinhua said the Ministry of Education issued an urgent notice requiring local governments to thoroughly inspect private kindergartens because of the three recent child deaths.

Chinese living standards have improved in step with the country's rapid economic growth, creating a large market for private _ and often bilingual _ daycare centers and schools. The sudden expansion of the lucrative business has made it hard to regulate.

Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying that authorities should check that schools employ only qualified teachers and drivers and require them to carefully count students as they get on and off school buses.

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Not sure what might be coming down so passing the heads up to everyone now to insure items such as your visa issues are properly covered.

Maybe others have some further input on this matter. I just got this information today.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

why not mention the province? that would be a better heads up to anyone working in one of these places i would think. its not like you'd be identifying your friend in any way.

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

ok, lets see what happens. i suspect not much. i dont think chinese authorities will be raiding private schools with the same vigour koreans do.

lostinasia · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 466

Agreed that this means absolutely nothing without informing what province is in question. The news story is or is not related to this supposed incident?

"Promised" to not mention the province ... and how would it matter ?

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

upchuckles · Joined: 11 Jan 2007 Posts: 111

Its probably in Beijing.. Beijing is cracking down big time on illegal workers on F and L visas.. There is a recent WSJ article about it..

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119022511204632617.html?mod=hps_asia_whats_news

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

I've talked to her and explained it makes sense (not to mention her school) but province names are needed.

We all know each province does different things.

3 of them are doing it now

1. Beijing area
2. GuangDong
3. Fujian province

However, not all of them might be doing the checks because of the recent deaths but for other reasons. The deaths were just an extra reason to start.

TW: Possibly is correct maybe a way the police types can get some extra $$ before the holiday starts.

This is all I know as of right now.

jeffinflorida · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject:

None of these incidents have anything to do directly or indirectly with foreigners and I don't see any merit or value by alarming FTs because this all sounds like the fault of chinese administrators...

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

Thanks for the heads up on this, any other reports of teachers getting shook down?

andrew_gz · Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 502 Location: Reborn in the PRC

I don't know about other provinces but if there was a serious shakedown in Guangdong of those on business visas, the earth might shift its axis...

Shan-Shan · Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 1074 Location: electric pastures

and maybe, just maybe, wages for FTs would go up a few kuai or so.

andrew_gz · Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 502 Location: Reborn in the PRC

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

My friend said they have 4 FT's at her school (Private K). One FT that had a L visa was sent to HK and has not come back his status is unknown.

The rest of them are required to verify their degree is real by furnishing an original copy, and original transcripts. They also must furnish web site information of the university that includes admin contact numbers for verification. ???? (I'm waiting an answer on the clarification if true or not)

The good thing is they are still working and nobody knows the time limit they are required to have produced these documents. (Or possibly they will be forgotten)

She says 3 other schools near hers were also raided.

I've also been told if Chinese students or parents complain about these things listed below will bring an investigation:

1. Deceit or fraud by the school
2. Unsafe conditions
3. Illegal workers
4. Legality of qualifications of staff

I'm starting to believe these crackdowns are connected to various incidents. (some I listed above and other posters listed a few)

Another point about fraud is the fact they had 10,000 former military PLA downsized members rioted in 3 different cities over conditions at their retraining schools this month.

As a result it looks like they are going to try to (or make a show) of cleaning up the education mess in China.

I do not think this is a "Let's check out the FT's witch- hunt", it seems to be directed towards cleaning things up to promote a Harmonious Society.
(My opinion after looking at all the evidence)

Ft's seem not to be the primary target here, but are being checked out to the fullest extent.