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One page full of info. These are not full-fledged FAQs -- just bits and pieces that people have sent in about various countries. Are you looking for a quick bit of info about...

Teaching in Hong Kong

Government Schools, and International Schools Government Schools requirements, a degree in English, Teaching or Linguistics, or minimum RSA DELTA + 2 years experience or a recognised teachers certificate. 2 year contract + gratuities

International Schools, usually the same requirements but lower pay scale.

Kindergartens : Some are now asking for teaching degrees, others will take any female who is a native English speaker. Working conditions poor, they expect a lot of unpaid admin. and preparation work.

Study centres & and institutions : Arthur Daily had a Chinese relative who started these. Usually the contracts are ridiculous, and of course under paid, with silly hours. Educational requirements vary from zilch to anything.

Private Tuition : Very varied, a lot of teachers make a little extra by taking on private students. However the Japanese & Korean ex-pats who work in Hong Kong are starting to feel the pinch of the economic downturn. I myself lost 75% of my income when I lost eleven Korean students in two weeks. At the time it seemed every private teacher I knew of was equally hit. The local HK Chinese student market is also about to take a downturn with the highest unemployment figures since 1967 just released.

For those interested in coming to HK to work as a teacher the new visa requirements can be quite tough, unless you come already sponsored. And considering the ridiculous rent prices here, who make the best advice I can offer.

The good points now. Hong Kong is a city worth seeing -- varied food, exceptional greed, and reasonable weather. The women are very pretty, and the "American Dream" (for want of a better expression) seems to live here. There are opportunities for those who are willing to work hard in HK. Other good points in HK’s favour : very little corruption compared to other Asian countries, two English language t.v. channels, + Star & Warf cable if your building is connected, excellent police, fire, and hospital services. Cheap computers & software, cheap Internet, and of course English is spoken everywhere.

Just hope nobody comes here with the wrong expectations. Things have changed a lot since the handover. 70% of schools will teach subjects in Chinese rather than English. And the new visa requirements can cause a lot of problems.

Teaching in Malaysia

I lived in the U.A.E. for 5 and a half years - before that Bahrain for almost 9 years. (In both cases teaching EFL at the Unis)... Malaysia is not a place to teach EFL if you want to earn a decent salary. I am only here because my husband moved here. I started teaching at the Islamic Uni here (recruited by CfBT) but made a rapid exit. I am now part-time at the Brit Council. Salaries are probably a third to a quarter of those in higher institutions in the U.A.E. and conditions not so good. Most EFL teachers I've met, unless married to Malaysians, see working here as very temporary, or are 'just passing through'.



Copyright (c) 2004 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.
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