Saigon’s English teaching shortage has been a concern for years, but good news has finally arrived. Thanks to increased documentation and educational requirements, this shortage is no more! That’s right, all you need to do is make the process so complicated that seasoned educators with years of experience in the field move to other countries.
It turns out that having a degree in English and a teaching certification just doesn’t cut it anymore. In order to teach the language, you must have a degree in education. This has caused many longtime educators to throw in the towel and leave the country, paving the way for fresh-faced, inexperienced teachers who can meet these new requirements.
All of these new regulations have made Saigon’s English teaching system just like other Asian countries, except without the decent full-time salary or benefits. China, Korea, Japan, and countless other countries offer full-time pay, benefits, flights and housing. Middle-aged English teachers in Vietnam who have been in the game for years are left with no benefits and no future retirement plans, unlike underpaid HR rejecting talent or teaching assistants who complain about their pay now, but will surely be raking in the dough once they hit middle age.
It seems that the English teaching industry in Saigon is mimicking the Mexican fruit pickers in America. Sure, Mexicans get free housing, but middle-aged English teachers are left with nothing but a stack of papers and a degree that is no longer relevant. The good news is, if you’re a fresh-faced, inexperienced teacher looking for work, Saigon is the place to be! Just make sure you have the right paperwork, and you’ll be on your way to a short and fruitful career.
