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burntout
Joined: 16 Mar 2011 Posts: 16
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:34 am Post subject: INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - Hohhot (northern China) |
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INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - HOHHOT (northern China) rates up high as one of the most badly managed, dishonest and ruthless schools in all of China. If in doubt as to which school is being referred to, here is their website http://www.immc.edu.cn .Because the location is so far away, it is difficult to regard the practices being those of mainland China. In fact, Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region not controlled by, nor is accountable to, the China national government education system. Added to this, the new campus is 90 minutes by shabby public transport from downtown. Chinese teachers and staff abandon the campus outside regular work hours. They all live downtown and commute by school bus from the old campus in Hohhot, which has reportedly been sold anyway.
Many recruiting agencies refer potential applicants to INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE, and the number of different online advertisements offering benefits are just as varied. Recruiting is done on a desperation basis by totally inept and inexperienced office staff. If you have no experience, only an online TEFL certificate, an American passport regardless of original race or birthplace; chances are you'll satisfy the criteria, but most teachers do not stay more than one (1) semester, if that. Actually, there is no Foreign Affairs Office anymore, as the control of foreign teachers has been taken over by the relevant teaching department with would-be professors/leaders that wield the contract as a weapon against foreigners to do more hours than specified (including weekends and weekday evenings) with no extra salary. If you don't agree, then you are threatened with no salary or visa issuance. If you want to discuss aspects of the contract in favour of the foreign teacher, you will be referred to the college president who doesn't speak English and is hard to track down in the first instant. College staff will not translate because that may show them as they really are.
It's a no win situation for the foreigner. Students are good, but administration is woeful. Additionally, there is no winter vacation salary. If you choose to stay on campus over the winter period, then prepare to starve in isolation as there are no shops open or transport at that time of year. Apparently, the regular number of foreign teachers has been 3 - 4 per semester in recent years. Up to 10 are required due to the increase in International students preparing to go abroad (a great money-spinner if ever there was one for schools throughout China), but only half that number at most will turn up or stay under the current conditions. This means over work and exploitation of those who do remain. The college change contracts and conditions at their own whim. Whatever is promised (including flights), don't expect to receive such, then you won't be disappointed. Work hours are averaged over a semester, meaning if you don't teach 16 hours one week - you'll be required to make them up in other weeks in addition to English Corner, public lectures (after hours) to students and Chinese teachers at other times. No matter what, this college squeezes everything out of the foreign teachers and their contracts while taking away as much as they possibly can. For example, the last month of the semester is not paid in full. Instead, it is calculated on a pro-rata daily work basis. The Mongolian way is to confuse everything so much so that you'll never work out what you are actually losing.
Be warned & totally avoid working at
INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE
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Last edited by burntout on Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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The Ever-changing Cleric

Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:53 am Post subject: Re: INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - Hohhot (northern China) |
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burntout wrote: |
This means over work and exploitation of those who do remain. The college change contracts and conditions at their own whim. ... No matter what, this college squeezes everything out of the foreign teachers and their contracts while taking away as much as they possibly can. |
I know some people feel intimidated by approaching their esl masters when problems arise at the workplace, but it's only common sense that if the school pushes you to work harder and longer with no reward then its up to the individual concerned to push back and say "no." It also goes without saying that if the school doesn't pay what you've earned, stop working immediately. This forum is full of stories of people who worked hard yet weren't paid, and were promised that payday would be "next week." people employed as foreign esl teachers in china need to start standing up for themselves.
burntout wrote: |
In fact, Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region not controlled by, nor is accountable to, the China national government or education system. |
How do you explain this? the autonomous regions of China are home to significant numbers of minorities. For that reason I'd argue that the amount of autonomy in these regions is actually less than it is in the provinces that are home to mostly Han people. |
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burntout
Joined: 16 Mar 2011 Posts: 16
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:08 am Post subject: INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - Hohhot (northern China) |
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The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
I know some people feel intimidated by approaching their esl masters when problems arise at the workplace, but it's only common sense that if the school pushes you to work harder and longer with no reward then its up to the individual concerned to push back and say "no." It also goes without saying that if the school doesn't pay what you've earned, stop working immediately. This forum is full of stories of people who worked hard yet weren't paid, and were promised that payday would be "next week." people employed as foreign esl teachers in china need to start standing up for themselves. |
Approaching ESL "masters" in the field is possibly easier said than done (especially in remote parts of the host country), and would probably simplify matters in popluated regions if such "masters" were accessible and able to speak English. However, this doesn't mean that gaining the attention of a figurehead will result in anything more than a condescending smile and fob off or referral to yet another faceless body or entity. When all else fails and logic proves faulty, the school's usual recourse is to blame the recruiting agency, who in turn will of course blame the school for supplying false information. It just goes round and round in circles. And, where does that leave the foreign teacher?
As mentioned in the OP, there is no Foreign Affairs Office anymore at Inner Mongolia Medical College, situated 90 minutes out of town by shabby public transport. If you want to discuss aspects of the contract with the Language Department leaders in favour of the foreign teacher, you will be referred to the college president (try getting an appointment with someone who doesn't speak English and is hard to track down in the first instant). College staff will not translate because that may show them as they really are. It's all been tried before.
Make a stand and refuse to teach? If you're on their turf, and living in their apartment; your number of supportive friends / associates could suddenly diminish drastically. If a visa or residence permit is being held back, that could mean that when you go to leave the country, you've well over-stayed your entry permit, and could face a fine of $US75 or so per day for every day since arrival in mainland China. Multiply that by 1 - 10 months, and breathe deep. Additionally, the school could claim that you have breached the contract and start imposing a fine of between $US500 - $US2000. Next suggestion, please.
Common sense doesn't always apply in reality. Remember the old contractual phrase "in a spirit of friendly cooperation"? To coin another phrase, "It takes two to tango". For those familiar with traditional Chinese (east Asian) ways, avoidance is the main method of dealing with any problem. Even in western countries these days, the likelihood of colleagues uniting in solidarity is questionable. Standing up for oneself and stopping work immediately certainly sounds good in theory, but again is a clear and proveable breach of contract. Funny how these clauses seem to favor the school rather the foreign teacher.
The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
burntout wrote: |
In fact, Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region not controlled by, nor is accountable to, the China national government or education system. |
How do you explain this? the autonomous regions of China are home to significant numbers of minorities. For that reason I'd argue that the amount of autonomy in these regions is actually less than it is in the provinces that are home to mostly Han people. |
How is this connected with the education system, especially a college with predominantly ethnic Han students
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The Ever-changing Cleric

Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:43 am Post subject: Re: INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - Hohhot (northern China) |
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burntout wrote: |
The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
burntout wrote: |
In fact, Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region not controlled by, nor is accountable to, the China national government or education system. |
How do you explain this? the autonomous regions of China are home to significant numbers of minorities. For that reason I'd argue that the amount of autonomy in these regions is actually less than it is in the provinces that are home to mostly Han people. |
How is this connected with the education system, especially a college with predominantly ethnic Han students. |
maybe you can tell me. you brought the topic up to start with.
burntout wrote: |
Standing up for oneself and stopping work immediately certainly sounds good in theory, but again is a clear and proveable breach of contract. |
a work stoppage must have been caused by something. What could it be?
people who have basic problem solving skills can usually overcome the inevitable problems that occur in the esl world. people without those skills often flounder. |
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burntout
Joined: 16 Mar 2011 Posts: 16
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:36 am Post subject: INNER MONGOLIA MEDICAL COLLEGE - Hohhot (northern China) |
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The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
burntout wrote: |
Standing up for oneself and stopping work immediately certainly sounds good in theory, but again is a clear and proveable breach of contract. |
a work stoppage must have been caused by something. What could it be?. |
Could be some confused verb tenses at play
The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
people who have basic problem solving skills can usually overcome the inevitable problems that occur in the esl world. people without those skills often flounder. |
Problems are inevitable and one can not normally
learn without them. Wish you happy everyday !!!
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