Thread: Teachers' License

A friend of mine working in a privater school in Silom was told the other day that all foreign teachers at the school have to do this "...Licence to Practice the Teaching Profession" course now.

They were given a copy of the notification from the Teachers Council of Thailand. I have read it and it is rather vague is a number of areas I must say. A Thai friend says it is still only a notification at this stage. Does anyone have any news on that?

The teachers at this school were told that the program will be over one year and will be on weekends. Rajabhat University will be running it and charging 80,000 baht according to an official at the school who spoke to Rajabhat. These teachers were told they will have to pay. So far on this forum the highest price I have seen mentioned was 10,000 baht.

OK, 80,000 baht is a steep price and one I doubt could be accurate. I for one refuse to pay that amount of money for a course that has no value outside this country. Does anyone else here have information on the cost of this course and is it as far as I can see still only a notification and not passed into law?

I predict if the cost of this license is 80,000 baht and the course is enforced, many teachers other than myself will give up and leave Thailand and it's education game to the Thais.

Originally Posted by s1214215

OK, 80,000 baht is a steep price and one I doubt could be accurate. I for one refuse to pay that amount of money for a course that has no value outside this country.

These are the costs for the one-year course Graduate Diploma in Teaching Profession (Grad. Dip. in T.P.) provided by several Rajabhat Universities.

The max. 10,000 THB course you're talking about is the 3-4 days Thai Language, Culture and Ethics course.

BTW, welcome on this board.

Stamp

Hi Stamp

Thanks for that. The private school my friend is at is saying they have to do the one year program to get a teachers licence and work for them. I wonder what game they are playing. I can say now that most of there teachers are mighty unhappy about this demand.

To my mind there are a whole lot of schools in Bangkok grouping together to fleece the Ferrang. These course are nothing more than a cash cow, a way to extort money. Certaijnly in Isaan I don't know of a single person who knows about or has been told they have to do a course. On masse everyone needs to refuse to pay a time and if threatened to find a new job. these scandalous schools are using use for a fast buck. I don't buy this. Our school have been told bollocks. Its admin looking to save some money. If the school wants you badly enough, they will fund every penny of any training.

Originally Posted by zehner

Just been told here we have to do it or our TL's will be revoked.

Gotta do it in the next 2 weeks at a cost of 3500B. The school haven't told us if they will pay it. Gonna be a weekend course we presume.

I look forward to learning how to kiss Pooh Yai ass effectively, drive like a ostrich on yaba and get the best bargains in gold shops.

Panhunger's thread on this quoted a 12,000 baht fee, an amount that makes you sit up and take notice. 3,500 is not that big a deal imo. Annoying but, like the visa fee, something you just pay with a muttered oath and go on your way. Looking forwards to hearing your description of the course zehner.

Originally Posted by parnassos

Panhunger's thread on this quoted a 12,000 baht fee, an amount that makes you sit up and take notice. 3,500 is not that big a deal imo. Annoying but, like the visa fee, something you just pay with a muttered oath and go on your way. Looking forwards to hearing your description of the course zehner.

I disagree. Pay this time and another eleborate scam rears its head next year. we are not being paid a kings ransom here. Many ferrangs are working under hitler like regimes in difficult and challenging circumstances. This is not a nationwide requirement yet. Schools that are claiming it is are lieing or are part of this scam. If the ferrangs at your school unite as one, will they sack you all on mass, of course they won't. Those who crap themselves into paying are telling those in on the con that its working. Do not pay, do not believe.

Originally Posted by av8tor

Fill in the blanks with even more poorly-paid Flip's.

And many of these poorly paid Flips also have BEd's and will be exempt from the certification course. Assuming these regulations are enforced, I predict in 3 years the foreign teaching community will look vastly different that it does today.

Originally Posted by av8tor

I think Stamp's method is the way to beat the deal if it's just another rip-off. Time for a few that have taken the test to put their heads together with some BEd's and MEd's and come up with a self-study guide that can be published for the great unwashed (and uncertified) farang teaching masses.

On 8 and 9 December 2007, 22 foreigners nationwide did the 4 tests of The Teacher's Council of Thailand. They all did their tests at one of the 8 schools designated by TCT.

Below the cities and the number of test takers.

Songkla: 1
Bangkok: 8
Chiang Mai: 1
Khon Kaen: 2
Nakhon Ratchasima: 4
Ratchaburi: 2
Chonburi: 3
Krabi: 1

By the way, at my location something like 60 Thai teachers had to take the 4 tests (in the Thai Language) too. I assume that that happend at all locations.

The results of the tests for the Thai teachers were published last Friday. The results of the foreign teachers are expected to be published next week.

Stamp

Originally Posted by peelieorion

To my mind there are a whole lot of schools in Bangkok grouping together to fleece the Ferrang.

Not just BKK. Chonburi, Rayong...any more?