Job Discussion Forums

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

My old job went from FT to PT, so basically you get paid per day worked. A lot of the BOEs are goes this way. How on Earth do they expect to actually fill these positions? As you can't work another job as they don't have regular schd. So what's going on? BOE of just getting rid of ALTs without actually disbanding the postion?

kita · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Japan

My BOE is also trying to switch to a part-time ALT system but found themselves unable to fill all the positions. Great for me because I got to keep my FT job. The one person they did manage to find has a Japanese spouse and thus does not need visa sponsorship. He works PT at an eikaiwa after school and his J-spouse has a job as well, so the lower pay isn't much of a problem.

I know my BOE doesn't want to get rid of ALTs all together. They are just looking for ways to cut costs and switching ALT positions to PT is just one strategy they've decided to use. My position probably would be better staffed by a PT worker given the number of hours I honestly work so I can't really fault them for trying. My schedule is quite similar to the other PT teachers at the school except they get to leave after they've finished with class while I have to try to make myself look busy in the staff room.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

I think that may be part of their thinking. If (first the prefectural BoE and then if they couldn't get it fixed) MEXT found out that they didn't have an ALT, they would be forced to hire one, even if it meant that they had to offer a living wage, or else they would be non-compliant with the national education plan (their schools would no longer be considered real schools, making huge problems for university entrance- not that I think that would actually happen over an assistant) . The reason why they offer that kind of package is simply because they can- somebody will accept it. They would likely do the same with Japanese teachers as well, if they could get away with it. But they can't. Sometimes dispatch companies end up going to BoEs and telling them that they're having difficulty finding anyone because of the wages. The BoEs just threaten to cancel the contract.