Ask Headmaster Ken

The moonlighting issue has at its roots:

1. Money: Teacher's undermining an employer by diverting potential students to private instruction. Obviously, this will only apply to private training schools.

2. Accountability: When the PSB drags an FT into the employer's office and says, "We caught him teaching illegally at a school. That will be a 20,000 RMB fine," who will pay?

3. Safety: Teachers can be hoodwinked into unbelievably shady deals that are simply illegal and unworkable.

The one I see the most is teachers being approached by a Chinese national and told they can partner up to open their own school, leave their current employer, and that they don't need to worry about a visa because the Chinese partner has "strong guanxi." This is almost always, guaranteed, certain to fail.

Quite often the business "opportunities" presented to foreigners are presented by clueless or criminal types. The Chinese "partner" is making commitments on behalf of the FT and can collect money until it becomes obvious no visa will ever be forthcoming and the FT is in real hot water with the PSB, bilked "clients," and even his "partner."

For the FT who teaches only private students, discreetly, this is a fairly safe opportunity to earn extra income.