Simon Connor
If you are a qualified British teacher you will always have a demand, and not more so than abroad! International schools are luring teachers from British waters and thus the number of British teachers going abroad to teach is on the rise.
But the reality is teachers are overworked and underpaid and undervalued in the UK. A recent BBC report had stated that in UK, teachers face overwhelming stress. According to a research, commissioned by the Charity Education Support Partnership, it was revealed that 75% of teachers in schools and colleges experienced symptoms of stress and anxiety stemming from their work. Therefore, many newly qualified teachers as well as teachers with a vast number of teaching years under their belt are grabbing the opportunity to pursue their career outside UK– stress-free!
Figures from International School Consultancy (ISC Research), revealed that there are more than four and a half million pupils studying at more than 9,000 English medium international schools around the world - 3,700 are British schools and this figure is expected to grow further. British education has a strong reputation worldwide and thus the demand for UK qualified teachers are high.
Teachers who leave the UK can say goodbye to the gruesome 70+ hour working week, intense workload and have a more balanced lifestyle. They can now actually get to enjoy their evenings and weekends without having to spend hours marking, planning and performing ludicrous administrative work that is only a tick-boxing curriculum.
Many international schools abroad pay teachers better than in UK. Some countries pay for accommodation with bills while others include holiday packages. Some countries also offer you tax free payment and in many countries the living cost is cheaper than in the UK.
Teachers abroad gain excellent professional development with greater support and appreciation from staffs and parents. British teachers abroad are highly regarded by the local community teaching their youngsters. Teachers are respected and much appreciated for their efforts abroad more so than in UK.
The idea of exploring many cultures, travelling to exotic destinations and making international connections are other reasons and incentives why our teachers turn to opportunities abroad. The younger you are, the more willing you are to choose destinations in the far east like China or opt for other exotic locations like Thailand and Malaysia. Whilst teachers with families can choose to go to more stable and modern countries like Singapore.
The temptation of being exposed to diverse culture; the freedom of letting you do your job without the bureaucratic nightmare and getting the right remuneration for your work can be hard for teachers here to resist!
