Tougher Regulations on the Cards for Foreign Teachers in China

Tougher Regulations on the Cards for Foreign Teachers in China
Jul 23, 2020 By eChinacities.com

New rules have been drafted to toughen regulations for foreign teachers in China. Under the new proposals, which were issued on Tuesday and are now open for public comment until August 21, foreign teachers in China could be fired for so-called “words and deeds” that are deemed to harm China’s sovereignty.

foreign teachers in China
Source: :Leonardo Toshiro Okubo

Global Times reports that foreigners will be banned from “illegally engaging in religious education of preaching” if the rules are finally approved by the Education, Foreign, Public Security and Science ministries.

Before taking up employment in China, foreign teachers would be required to undergo at least 20 hours of training on teaching ethics and the Chinese constitution. Those found in violation of the proposed rules would be reported to the education authorities and possibly fired.

As is already typically the case for new foreign teachers in China, faculty members would all be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree, a relevant teaching qualification and at least two years’ teaching experience. Schools would be required to publish the name, nationality and work permit of all teachers on their website, and those found employing teachers without the right qualifications could be fined 10,000 RMB per teacher.

Demand for foreign teachers, particularly English teachers, remains high in China, but with better than average starter salaries plus good benefits, it’s also become an increasingly popular career path for inexperienced new graduates. According to 2019 national statistics, there are more than a million foreign teachers in China, but only 10 percent have valid certificates.

Foreign teachers have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, with more and more getting detained and deported by authorities and several high profile cases hitting the headlines. In July last year, for example, 16 foreign teachers and students were arrested in a drugs bust at an Education First facility in Xuzhou.

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Keywords: foreign teachers in China

6 Comments

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Guest15381482

under the current circumstances concerning the ban on foriegn travel, this would not affect anyone at least probably not in 2020 anyway. Then next year, when things are going to be a lot different in the world, a person would have to be really, really motivated to want and take up a teaching job in the country. Most of the people who already had jobs and have been locked out, costing them serious cash and causing serious inconveniences would see further contract "add ons" like this to be a bit of a slap in the face. Also anyone looking to teach should take into consideration what it actually takes to get a job here now - authenticated documents, translated into the other language at the person's expense, hoping the school or institution is good. Hoping the foreign people that already work there are not clique. Hoping the area is good and there are things to do outside of work. All that for for a 1 year contract? Like I say it would take real motivation to want to put yourself through that stuff. Something else about the myth of the salary as well. Think about it like this: if a person does a 35 hour week in a school, say for example and then the monthly salary is broken down into rate per hour it isnt the handsome dividends that people think it is. For a person getting say 15,000 RMB a month that equates to just over 100 RMB per hour. That is minimum wage in Europe and a lot of other western countries. In other words you can earn that much money just working in McDonalds in Vancouver! Speaking of which, I know for fact that certain countries like Canada have people who come to China with little experience and often it is their first teaching job. Anyone who has a background in education? I cannot see the draw of it. Not now. The ship has sailed.

Sep 07, 2020 18:45 Report Abuse

tjh14

The best rule of thumb is not to say anything negative about China even if it is obviously true.

Aug 05, 2020 00:50 Report Abuse

Stason456

:(

Jul 30, 2020 20:16 Report Abuse

sorrel

China is becoming less and less attractive for foreign teachers - but then that is the plan, isn't it?

Jul 25, 2020 14:03 Report Abuse