China ESL
An Industry Run Amuck?

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by Niu Qiang, PhD & Martin Wolff, J.D.

Prejudice (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 5; Private Schools -- 5; Agencies - 5)

There are two categories under the complaint of racism. It is claimed that blacks are routinely rejected and that FEs are only tolerated but not respected or appreciated.

Blacks are in fact routinely rejected, particularly those from the African Continent English speaking nations, but it is generally because no matter what the country of origin, their pronunciation is not adequate for ESL teaching in China.

In many areas of China the FEs are treated as a necessary evil or "foreign devil." Partygoers parading around as ESL teachers have given the legitimate ESL teacher a bad reputation and disrespect naturally follows. There is also the small matter of the unforgotten history of western invasion of China some years back. However, there are still many areas of China that have a high degree of regard and respect for teachers in general and FEs in particular. FEs are treated like royalty with first class, red carpet treatment.

However, there is still the attitude that "I like FEs and some of them are my friends. I just do not want one of them to marry my daughter." Chinese girls seen in public with a FEs are often called prostitutes, as no respectable Chinese girl would be caught dead in public with one. This also affects where FEs are allowed to live and why Chinese students and teachers are not allowed to visit the FE's house.

Profit Before Education (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 2; Private Schools -- 18; Agencies - 1)

ESL teaching in China is big business and there are big profits to be had. Some FEs perceive that their school puts profit before a quality education. Some of these complaints have been verified to be valid while young altruistic teachers poorly grounded in basic business management principles lodge others.

There are some sharp operators who consider their school to be a "cash cow" and they fully intend to milk it for all it is worth. It also seems that their primary purpose in inviting FEs is to use them as "shills" to increase enrollment and revenues.

Salary (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 6; Private Schools -- 53; Agencies - 8)

FEs complain about not receiving the agreed compensation, not receiving the agreed overtime pay, receiving reduced pay, pay with unilateral deductions and fines, pay reduced unilaterally, late pay, and that they must argue for their pay.

FEs complain that they do not receive the end-of-contract bonus.

FEs complain that they do not receive the return airfare.

Most complaints emanate from private schools teaching a primary school curriculum. These schools suffer from untrained and inexperienced management which experience constant cash flow problems and owners more interested in profits than education, even if the profits are made off the labor of FEs they cheat.

Security (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 2; Private Schools -- 5; Agencies - 1)

Schools with on-campus housing usually have walled, gated compounds with security personnel on guard 24 hrs. a day seven days a week. To many FEs this sounds, looks and feels like a prison. (If it talks, walks and smells like a duck, it is probably a duck.) The Chinese staff and students appreciate the secure compound because they know what evil lurks outside its walls.

The FEs not only feel imprisoned because they must be in their apartment from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next day and they may have no overnight guests; the FEs can not understand how under all of this security their apartments are still ransacked, yet no culprits are ever caught and stolen items are almost never returned.

Support, Teaching Materials (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 3; Private Schools -- 31; Agencies- 8)

The crux of this complaint is that the school FAO is either dodging its duties or there is no FAO at all and that the FEs are left to fend for themselves in all matters.

There is the secondary complaint that there is no Chinese teacher to assist in the classroom.

Third, there is either an inadequate curriculum or none at all; and little or no teaching materials, combined with broken or non-existent teaching equipment and supplies. Again, this situation may be a matter of economics or poor training for the Management and FAO Director. This however can also be the result of sharp practices to enrich the school at the expense of both the student and the FEs.

Chinese toilets are open trenches over which one squats on their haunches. Most westerners find this both physically difficult and offensive. The stench emanating from a Chinese toilet room permeates the entire building, even seeping into the classroom. This is most distracting to the FE. This is the sole reason China joined the WTO. No, not the World Trade Organization, the small WTO (World Toilet Organization). China is well aware of the need to improve its toilet facilities. (See: www.worldtoilet.org).

Visa -- Foreigner Residence Permit -- Foreign Expert's Certificate (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 2; Private Schools -- 24; Agencies- 1)

Some schools that are unlicensed or do not have authority to hire FE promise a "Z" visa after the FE enters China on an "L" visa. The "Z" visa is never produced and the teacher has resulting immigration problems. Some such schools offer invitation letters on another company's letterhead upon which an "F" visa is issued with the promise of a "Z" visa after the FE enters China. When the "Z" visa is not timely issued, the FE has immigration problems.

This problem can be avoided if the FE will simply insist that he be provided with the "Z" visa before entering China. Reputable and experienced schools are very capable of complying with this request. Schools that encourage entry on an "L" visa or "F" visa are the major source of subsequent "Z" visa problems.

Even licensed schools play games with the visa for their own economic reasons. After all, FEs without a "Z" visa is at the mercy of the school and can be convinced to accept lower pay, inadequate housing and changed contracts.

Without the "Z" visa it is impossible to obtain the Foreigner Residence Permit or the Foreign Expert's Certificate.

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