ESF teacher's comment seen as demeaning

lucas2005

SCMP, October 15, 2005

ESF teacher's comment seen as demeaning


As a fellow teacher at an international school I feel I must comment on Julian Harniess' article "Management ideals just tales by an idiot". I really wonder who the idiot is?

Is Mr Harniess implying that ESF teachers belong to some special, deified group? Is someone from the US, Canada, England with a BA in education, or PGCE not as qualified as an ESF teacher? What is it that qualifies an ESF teacher to make up to three times the salary of other teachers in Hong Kong?

Also Mr Harniess seems to imply that if ESF teachers' salaries are cut they might not be able to provide the same standard of education. Why is that? Does only money motivate them? Do they truly care for their students? If so they will still do their very best as any teacher worth their salt would do. How demeaning can he be to the teaching profession?

Finally, his assertion that extra- curricular activities are run by the "good will" of their teachers "on their own time" and "unpaid" is an absurd justification for inflated salaries. With a little investigation Mr Harniess would find all teachers do the same at much lesser salaries.

ESF schools and teachers do provide a quality education but so do many other teachers in Hong Kong. To argue that ESF teachers are an elite group and are entitled to such outrageous salaries is the epitome of arrogance. I really trust that not all ESF teachers feel like Mr Harniess but if the ridiculous protest and refusal to accept the wage cuts are representative of the teachers, I suggest Hong Kong let them go.

TERRY SCOTT
Sha Tin

Jackielee

yeh, let go!