The International Schools Review Forum

I was looking at the Search database and there seems to be a lot of schools - even the good ones - that have much lower stated salaries than last year's. For example, Am. School of Bombay last year posted a salary of 70,000+ USD for Masters and 8 years experience - This year that has dropped to 55,000.

WAB no longer pays taxes - the stated tax rate is 25%!

All of the schools in Malaysia have reduced salaries and allowances.

What gives? Just a reflection of a poor world economy or of so many teachers now wanting to get in on the IE bandwagon?

Hmm... my school actually increased salary and benefits a bit over the last two years. Maybe it depends on the country.

We also got a raise. Apparently, the starting pay and benefits for new teachers have been slashed at some schools in east and south-east Asia. May be due to loss of students or allocation of funds to school expansion or a greater supply of 'young' teachers in the market.
It all depends on the location and profile of the school. So, staying put can be more financially viable if you are at a decently paid school. When people change schools, you can only go up to a certain step, which doesn't work in favour of middle-aged teachers.

> All of the schools in Malaysia have reduced salaries and allowances.

The Malaysian Ringgit currently has the worst exchange rate it's had for many years and it's still falling. The schools still pay the same salary, they are just worth significantly fewer dollars now.

I think that's a different issue altogether though. Some schools have to pay in local currency due to government regulations. Others pay part of your salary in local and part in another currency (USD/Pound/Euro...).

What Molly said.

Every school that charges student fees in a local currency will be paying teachers less this year compared to last year, when stated in USD. It's simply exchange rates and the USD has been on a tear.

Our paycheques got hit in China last month. The Yuan's sudden devaluation was a hard pill to swallow.

mysharona, from 6.2 to 6.3 yuan per dollar?

Yes, a massive 1.61% drop. Are staff getting desperate and cutting back on their cappuccinos?

Vincentchase, that was hilarious. I needed a good laugh.

Ok. But does anyone know if WAB is actually not paying teachers' taxes now?

Our school's salary is fixed in USD and actually with the devaluing of the local currency, we are making about 25% more over the last year with any local expenses.

I dont really see the change in currency being the issue. Many of those IS profile pages were not updated in several years and they were still reporting pre-recession values. Much of what ISs plan for financially is done and completed several years in advance. What we are seeing is the catch-up of ISs as they adjust for the outcome of past financial realities.