VietNamNet Bridge – Only 30 percent of foreign teachers teaching languages at training centres have work permits.

An English lesson at Nam Trung Yen Secondary School

According to the department, there are nearly 40 such training establishments in Hanoi, employing many teachers without work permits.

Cleverlearn, for example, has 18 foreign teachers - 17 of which are part time. Language Link Vietnam has 101 foreign teachers, but only 25 have work permits.

General schools prove to have more stable work forces than foreign language centres. There the majority of teachers are working full time and the number of teachers with work permits is higher. The Hanoi International School and Sakura Kindergarten have all their teachers issued with work permits.

According to Nguyen Quoc Bao, senior official of the Hanoi Education and Training Department, training establishments have not strictly obeyed current regulations on foreign labour recruitment and management.

Bao said many foreign teachers still have not had the necessary documents from the agencies.

Other problems were highlighted at the event. They include the low number of foreign teachers which means students do not have opportunities to work with them. Poor facilities were also highlighted.

Bao says the Hanoi Education and Training Department is going to take drastic measures to settle current problems. It plans to take inspection tours to licensed overseas invested training establishments in the city. A list of the establishments and inspection results will then appear on its official website.

VietNamNet/DT