Hiring foreign teachers 'should be made easier'

[William]

EDUCATION / SCHOOL STAFFING PROBLEMS

Hiring foreign teachers 'should be made easier'

The International Schools Association of Thailand (Isat) has called on the government to relax the rules on the recruitment of foreign teachers, saying strict criminal background checks of applicants was making it extremely difficult for schools to recruit foreign staff.

Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said Isat representatives recently met him to air international schools' problems regarding the tough recruitment criteria. They claimed the requirement for international schools to thoroughly check the criminal records of applicants before recruiting them was impractical.

The process was not only time-consuming but was also creating other problems, they said.

The association called on the ministry to raise the matter with the Foreign Ministry's Consular Affairs Department, to help cut red tape regarding the criminal background checks.

The association also urged the department to invite Interpol to jointly conduct the checks with Thai police.

Mr Wijit said the Isat proposed that a one-stop service centre be set up to facilitate the hiring of foreign teachers by international schools. Currently, the schools need to deal with several state agencies before a work permit can be issued to a foreign teacher.
The association also called for the inclusion of a clause into a private school draft bill to put international schools under the control of the Office of the Private Education Commission, like other private schools.

[Wallace]

criminal background checks of applicants was making it extremely difficult for schools to recruit foreign staff.

Blimey, didn't realise so many teachers carried a record.

[Lily]

^No, it isn't that, but it takes so long and the teachers can't get a work permit until it has been done and have to do border runs in the meantime, which they now cant do for long enough.

[AntRobertson]

strict criminal background checks of applicants

What is the story with that? Been hearing the usual rumours and the like but nothing solid. Is it just a requirement for teachers or all industries/jobs? Nobody seems to know if it is just for new WP applications or all either. And presumably it has to come from the home country?

My concern is that from previous experience I know it takes about 3-4mths to receive the report from NZ and my WP expires well before that

[Lily]

My concern is that from previous experience I know it takes about 3-4mths to receive the report from NZ and my WP expires well before that

Yes, that is the real concern.