Job Discussion Forums

Meowwow · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 21

I have a job in HK in august through an agent. I can't communicate directly with the school (it's a high school not language school).
The agent is asking me for certificates for my gcse's and A-levels i took at school. I don't have those certificates anymore and getting them re-issued is a big hassle. I can't get a straight answer on if they are really necessary or not.
Please help!! has anyone else had to provide these for visa or pay scale??

Umm Banat · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 28

They are required for your visa.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

Meowwow · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 21

Thanks for the info and link.
Well, when i get there i'll be working directly for the school - a one year contract. I think it's for the accreditation board.
Just the agent being careful i don't negotiate with the school without her until she's got the money i guess.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

11:59 · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:12 am Post subject:

There is no need whatsoever to go through an 'agency' to work at a school in HK. My advice would be to walk away now, today, while you still have the chance. You will get shafted. My suspicion is that it is not, in fact, a placement agency as I do not actually think any exist, rather, I think you will find it is more likely to be the owner of some dodgy hack tutorial centre who has also realised she (they are typically uptight females) can make some extra dosh (circa $10,000 a month) simply for introducing fresh mugs to na�ve school principals.

Approach schools directly. They will fork out vastly less for a teacher and you will get paid considerably more. Both parties will ultimately be happier.

If you follow though with this agency then do not be surprised if you suddenly have your hours and/or location changed, and do not be too overly surprised if you find yourself having to travel all around the city from one location to another on a daily, or even hourly, basis.

Meowwow · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 21

Well i know the agent because she found work for my friend two years running so i know she's honest and i just dont have time to hunt myself at the moment. i thought in general the advice was not to just turn up in hong kong without arranging work first.

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

I just found this thread, please see and comment on the thread agencies and working illegally in schools.

P.S. I was requested for my old school certificates when I first applied for permitted teacher registration many years ago. I too need replacements, at the time I just gave up.

Meowwow · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 21

so you gave them the certificates or not?

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

Did I give them the certs?

Well, I telephoned my father in England to request that he obtain copies for me. Unfortunately he took this opportunity to recall the time that as a child whilst playing in the loft, that I removed his Cambridge Degree and recycled it's fame resulting in the lost of his prized cert. Which was accompanied by the rare occurrence of my father swearing at me! I did catch every 3rd or 4th word you bloody %&*&^ do you *(^(&^ know how long or how ^#%^#$ing difficult it is to get copies.

Following the telephone line closed tone, I decided to investigate how difficult can it be to obtain copies.

Problem 1) Do you by any chance recall the examination body, month and date when you took or were awarded the various certificates, exact grades? (Fun eh?)

Problem 2) Does the school, college, or educational authority (district etc) still exist? My former college had been through 7, yes seven mergers and devolutions since I graduated.

Problem 3) When will the author of this novel of text simply answer the question that the previous writer posed?

In answer to your question, I gave the school my notice to quit, before the Permitted Teacher Registration was completed. However, the school supervisor did inform that she had the same problem with a previous teacher from the UK. apparently it took her 2 years, but she was able to obtain copies of his school certificates. Unfortunately, he had also quit 1 year prior to the actually delivery of ths said certs.

My advice is:
a) Internet search your former school, and find the e-mail for the students records department. The should be able to provide you with some details, the actual subjects and examining bodies. Next you will need to approach either the individual examination / awarding bodies or possibly the local education authority.

Failing that: Just re-take the dam exams. I was told that they wouldn't count, but what they heck. They will only cost about 350 - 500 each and you can enjoy being one of the bigger students in the classroom.

Meowwow · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 21

lol
sounds about right... that's for the reply. I appreciate it.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

This thread sheds a bit of light on the mindset here in HK (which the long-term residents had forewarned me about via this forum).

Where else in the world would I have been asked for primary school transcripts?? Laughing

What difference do my secondary school results have, given the fact that the accreditation bureau has my original university degrees, diplomas, certificates, standardized exam scoresheets, and official transcripts, etc. on their desk? Laughing

The school has offered a position, and a contract has been drawn up...now it is the task of some petty official "working" within the iron rice bowl to question quals due to the fact that "Box C" cannot be ticked since secondary school exam results are not available! Cool

A quick summary based on my relatively short time working here: If one cannot provide documents and proper quals, then do not expect to make the kind of living that some on these forums have mentioned. You will find yourself at a language school/centre; jobs in Taiwan offers double the pay, per hour, what a HK language school/centre will pay you...and housing costs much less there.

Surfdude18 · Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 651 Location: China

I hope you resolved the certificates issue. I ran into this recently with my PGCE application. My mum spent about two weeks searching through every last box of stuff in their house until she found them. She asked about getting replacements (prior to finding them) and it sounded like a nightmare - one of the Boards wouldn't issue replacements unless there was a 'proper' reason like a flood or burglary, which required a police report (!).

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

In a slightly similar vien...

When I applied for my LPAT-(E) registration I was asked for my school certs and of course the English cert. I explained that I had for the previous 5 years written and graded supplementary university benchmark exams which were at HKCEE and A-LE.

Since I didn't have the English certs from my old school/college days in HK, I inquired if perhaps I should certify myself (tongue-in cheek) or have another member of the English department set and examination for me which would take place in the presence of invigilators.

Well after several mins of telephone silence, I heard hysterical laughter from the other end of the telephone. Luckily they were willing to accept written evidence of my employment and role.