The People for Education report is very interesting from a number of perspectives.
First there are dozens of unemployed ESL teachers in Ontario.
Reading that 77% percent of ESL students (children of immigrants) are in Toronto and that 90% of Toronto schools have ESL students yet 54% do not have ESL teachers should anger every unemployed ESL teacher and anger every new immigrant whose child is failing without ESL support.
Read the numbers here:
http://www.peopleforeducation.com/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=613
More about this organization:
People for Education
641 Bloor Street West, Second Floor, Toronto, ON, M6G 1L1
Phone: 416-534-0100 Fax: 416-536-0100
Email: info@peopleforeducation.com
People for Education is an independent parent-led organization, working to improve public education in Ontario's English, Catholic and French schools.
Starting in 1996, People for Education began as part of the parent association at a downtown Toronto school and grew to become a provincial organization.
People for Education Mission
Public education is the foundation of a civil society. People for Education is dedicated to the ideal of a fully publicly-funded education system that guarantees every child access to the education that meets his or her needs.
People for Education
-doing research;
-providing clear, accessible information to the public;
-engaging people to become actively involved in education issues.
For additional info
http://www.peopleforeducation.com/aboutus
**********
Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/
ESL in Canada Directory lists: Canadian ESL English schools university colleges high schools teachers tutors, English as a second language programs classes lessons seminars workshops
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
BC ESL School Scams continue without Regulations
I was hoping that life would be better in BC - but that will not happen.
The notorious international school scam artists that are defrauding thousands of international students and providing Canada with the worst international criminal reputation will be allowed to continue.
BC's Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell had the opportunity to create
mandatory quality-assurance programs and the re-regulation of English as a Second Language (ESL) schools and he failed to deliver anything of value.
Of course the BC politicians are using excuses - it will be difficult to write regulations - it creates competitive dis-advantages for the ESL schools - we need more inspectors - there are only a few bad apples in the industry.
What the BC politicians are not telling the BC voters is that the illegal ESL school operators are acting as visa mills for illegal workers. By the way have you ever heard of the sex trade or human trafficing. There are rumours that some are selling fake Canadian University degrees and some are fronts for money laundering. We get complaints about the small petty criminals that just do not pay their Canadian teachers, their Canadian homestay fees, do not pay Canadian taxes etc. etc..
What is even worse is that many students have their registration and tuition money stolen before they even get to Canada. Many students that get to Canada and are ripped off do not complain because they do not speak English, are afraid of the police and they have been threatened by the criminals.
The BC politicians know that the international ESL student complaints are like the iceberg with 95% of them hidden and never seen. It really looks like the BC politicians have done nothing to help the international ESL students because they are not BC voters and after they had their money stolen they do not have money. When have you ever seen a BC politician help someone that is not a voter and has no money?
Read some more from the Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Sun Story
Vancouver Sun Story
Our advice - spend a little more money come to Toronto, Boston or even New York - go to a good ESL school with real teachers and real programs.
********
Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/
ESL in Canada Directory lists: Canadian ESL English schools university colleges high schools teachers tutors, English as a second language programs classes lessons seminars workshops
The notorious international school scam artists that are defrauding thousands of international students and providing Canada with the worst international criminal reputation will be allowed to continue.
BC's Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell had the opportunity to create
mandatory quality-assurance programs and the re-regulation of English as a Second Language (ESL) schools and he failed to deliver anything of value.
Of course the BC politicians are using excuses - it will be difficult to write regulations - it creates competitive dis-advantages for the ESL schools - we need more inspectors - there are only a few bad apples in the industry.
What the BC politicians are not telling the BC voters is that the illegal ESL school operators are acting as visa mills for illegal workers. By the way have you ever heard of the sex trade or human trafficing. There are rumours that some are selling fake Canadian University degrees and some are fronts for money laundering. We get complaints about the small petty criminals that just do not pay their Canadian teachers, their Canadian homestay fees, do not pay Canadian taxes etc. etc..
What is even worse is that many students have their registration and tuition money stolen before they even get to Canada. Many students that get to Canada and are ripped off do not complain because they do not speak English, are afraid of the police and they have been threatened by the criminals.
The BC politicians know that the international ESL student complaints are like the iceberg with 95% of them hidden and never seen. It really looks like the BC politicians have done nothing to help the international ESL students because they are not BC voters and after they had their money stolen they do not have money. When have you ever seen a BC politician help someone that is not a voter and has no money?
Read some more from the Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Sun Story
Vancouver Sun Story
Our advice - spend a little more money come to Toronto, Boston or even New York - go to a good ESL school with real teachers and real programs.
********
Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/
ESL in Canada Directory lists: Canadian ESL English schools university colleges high schools teachers tutors, English as a second language programs classes lessons seminars workshops
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Mixed News for Canadians teaching ESL Abroad
I was looking for additional statistics about the overseas teaching industry and how the changes will affect Canadian ESL English teachers.
I read a Guardian article dated December 2007 and it has provided some intersting numbers.
The Guardin article stated
"South Korea responds to fears about bogus foreign teachers with draconian visa rules ...
The rules will affect an estimated 17,000 foreign English instructors...
teachers... will be required to provide an affidavit of any criminal convictions, undergo a medical and drug test, provide sealed academic transcripts and have their university diplomas inspected.
...English teachers residing outside Korea will have to have an interview at a Korean embassy or consulate before they take up their teaching posts...
...a report from the ministry of education stating that more than 106 foreign English teachers in Korea's public school system are working illegally ... between 2001 and August 2007, 1,481 foreign language teachers have been caught for a range of offences including forged degrees, visa violations and general lawbreaking."
And a quote "Many teachers are wondering if the experience of working in South Korea will be worth the burden of the paper-work and increasing restrictions."
You can read the entire article here:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/tefl/story/0,,2228821,00.html
Our opinion is that this is a mixed benefit and problem situation.
Getting rid of the perverts, fakes and frauds is great.
Locking teachers into single employers contracts is very bad.
Having less civil rights than ordinary Korean citizens is very very bad. The middle east provides no rights to foreign teachers but pay twice the salary. Good teachers will go to Korea at the low salaries offered only if they have their civil rights.
Having an interview and providing documentation is manditory for all North American teaching jobs - its no big deal for an international teaching position.
I did not see any numbers for illegal education and recruiting agents or illegal school owners going to jail. These criminals will go out and hire another 1000 illegal teachers and bring them into Korea causing more trouble unless they are shut down and put into prison. Getting rid of the current illegal teachers is only one-third of the problem.
If you have current news - send us and email.
**********
ESL in Canada NEWS Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/
ESL in Canada Directory of ESL English information articles, reports, opinions, observations, warnings about ESL schools, English programs, classes, ESL teaching jobs, teacher resources and teaching materials.
I read a Guardian article dated December 2007 and it has provided some intersting numbers.
The Guardin article stated
"South Korea responds to fears about bogus foreign teachers with draconian visa rules ...
The rules will affect an estimated 17,000 foreign English instructors...
teachers... will be required to provide an affidavit of any criminal convictions, undergo a medical and drug test, provide sealed academic transcripts and have their university diplomas inspected.
...English teachers residing outside Korea will have to have an interview at a Korean embassy or consulate before they take up their teaching posts...
...a report from the ministry of education stating that more than 106 foreign English teachers in Korea's public school system are working illegally ... between 2001 and August 2007, 1,481 foreign language teachers have been caught for a range of offences including forged degrees, visa violations and general lawbreaking."
And a quote "Many teachers are wondering if the experience of working in South Korea will be worth the burden of the paper-work and increasing restrictions."
You can read the entire article here:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/tefl/story/0,,2228821,00.html
Our opinion is that this is a mixed benefit and problem situation.
Getting rid of the perverts, fakes and frauds is great.
Locking teachers into single employers contracts is very bad.
Having less civil rights than ordinary Korean citizens is very very bad. The middle east provides no rights to foreign teachers but pay twice the salary. Good teachers will go to Korea at the low salaries offered only if they have their civil rights.
Having an interview and providing documentation is manditory for all North American teaching jobs - its no big deal for an international teaching position.
I did not see any numbers for illegal education and recruiting agents or illegal school owners going to jail. These criminals will go out and hire another 1000 illegal teachers and bring them into Korea causing more trouble unless they are shut down and put into prison. Getting rid of the current illegal teachers is only one-third of the problem.
If you have current news - send us and email.
**********
ESL in Canada NEWS Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/
ESL in Canada Directory of ESL English information articles, reports, opinions, observations, warnings about ESL schools, English programs, classes, ESL teaching jobs, teacher resources and teaching materials.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)