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| Don't fall for the "average Chinese pay" bit | ||
| I've read so often in recent days advertisements from Chinese school organizations, many of them aiming to make big bucks for themselves, claiming that 3,5000 RMB per month (for 10 months only, I might add) or even 5,000 RMB per month is pay generous almost to the point of folly. This is justified by the claim that the average pay in China is little more than 1,000 RMB per month so that those lucky enough to be getting 3.5 or 5 times as much are fortunate indeed. Sadly, they don't compare apples with apples. It may be that factory workers and other low-paid migrant workers may score only 1,000 per month; however, it would be more honest of advertisers to indicate what the real annual income is of Chinese teachers (whose teaching load will generally be only about 60% of that given to foreign teachers). In that case, one will find that foreign teachers are paid about the same as local teachers. And foreign teachers don't pick up all the bonuses, gifts, etc. that come teachers' way here on account of National Day, Teachers' Day, school birthday, Spring Festival, etc. etc. There's not much truth in that old "1,000 RMB per month" claim so don't fall for it. What is more, in developed provinces, student fees in government schools of reasonable reputation are likely to be as follows: Total Grade enrolment, say, 750. Students permitted to pay low basic fee, 450. Students who'll pay more (much more!), 300. The "pay more" fee will be calculated as follows in the richer provinces and in the more prestigious government schools: Within 10 marks of the school-determined exam cut-off, 20,000 RMB (in addition to the basic school fee) and then 2,000 RMB extra for every additional mark below those 10 marks. It is true of course that in the very poorest schools, the rule may reduce to: 10 marks below the cut-off, 3,000 RMB and then 50 yuan for every additional mark below the initial 10. Such schools, of course, are at the very bottom of the poverty scale and are hardly likely to be seeking foreign teachers. So if you think you might be robbing Chinese government schools in richer provinces by expecting or taking more than 5000 per month, think again. Just a couple of "back door" students will pay your annual salary. There'll still be plenty of money left over for big black cars with tinted windows for the school leaders and for nightly slap-up banquets at 5-star restaurants. There are a lot of people in schools, government and private, who are doing very nicely out of fees, thank you. And the less you are paid as a foreign teacher, then the more for them. And remember, too, that the purpose of hiring you is for your foreign face (not for anything you might be able to teach) which will be flogged to death as an advertising tool for the school. The school will profit more from your face than you ever will. So don't be too innocent and trusting of claims that pay levels here are so low that you should be happy with peanuts. In addition, it might be worth bearing in mind that three professors/teachers from the Beijing Aeronautical and Astronautical University have just gone into the slammer for asking parents of students for 100,000 RMB each to have their children given the places at that university to which they were rightly entitled by their exam results. If teachers in the enrolment section of such a high-profile university can attempt this, one can only wonder at how many lesser places are trying the same trick and getting away with it. In the Beijing case, 6 families had already been fleeced before the 7th parents alerted police. The criminal trio had focused on families of Guangxi Province where, I guess, they reckoned the parents would be more ignorant or more desperate to get their children out of the poor province. And this is the crowd that would want you to work for 3,500 per month "since the average wage in China is only about 1,000 RMB per month". Not theirs, however. "In the know" Zhejiang. |