有张外国人的脸就行？英语外教供不应求
近年来，全民“外语热”温度依旧，一些打着“外教”旗号的培训班尤其受欢迎。《半月谈》记者调查发现，一些活跃在市场上的“外教”并不具备相关从业资格和经验，甚至“只要有张外国人的脸就行”。
It is easy for foreigners to be English-language teachers in China, even if you are not a native speaker and don't have education qualifications, Chinese media reported.
“洋面孔”变身“金牌外教”
Foreigners or prestigious English-language teachers?
英语教育市场有多火？艾瑞咨询的数据显示，中国在线英语培训市场将在2019年达到520亿元。
在此背景下，来自中国外国专家局的数据显示，来华工作的外国专家人数，2007年为33万人次，2011年则猛增到53万人次。但统计显示，2017年中国从事教育行业的外国人已达40余万，但按照目前的政策标准，合法外教数量仅占三分之一，“洋老师”明显供不应求。
Learning English has been popular among Chinese in the past few years. According to data provided by the China-based consulting company iResearch, the online English training market in the country will reach 52 billion yuan in 2019.
As many native speakers have been welcomed in as teachers in the education industry, the number of foreign experts working in China went from 330,000 in 2007 to 530,000 in 2011, according to data from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.
However, qualified teachers on work visas in China are so scarce that it is hard to meet the needs of the market. Statistics estimate that there were more than 400,000 foreigners working in the Chinese education industry last year, however only one third of them were legal.
Some of the foreign teachers have to use travel, study, or visiting visas, or deliberately conceal the fact that they are working in the education industry to avoid inspection even if they have related experiences and certificates, reported China Comment, a magazine belongs to Xinhua News Agency.
There are also many teachers working in education institutions that are not English native-speakers – they come from countries in Eastern Europe and Latin America.
一位外教招聘机构工作人员向《半月谈》记者透露，即使是没有任何教学资质的外国人，培训机构也可以编造学历和教学经历，给他们扣上“金牌外教”等诸多响亮的头衔。“不管怎么吹，反正家长也很难核实，这也导致一些学校聘请外籍教师时往往不看学识、资质而是看长相，只要拥有一张看起来像欧美人的洋面孔，这个外教就‘合格’了一半。”
“It is hard for parents to verify if the schools are boasting,” an informant from the industry told China Comment. “People who look like they come from the US or Europe are generally considered as strong candidates.”
A poster noticed in a university in Beijing claimed the foreign teacher there could teach oral English. /VCG Photo
为何“洋外教”有市场？
Why is there a huge market for foreign teachers in China?
英语培训机构遍地开花，不少学习班打出“金牌外教真人授课”“英美外教一对一辅导”的广告，而与普通的学习班相比，有“洋老师”的课程学费往往比中教翻倍。
English training institutions have been blooming, as many of them claim they have prestigious native-English speaking teachers.
“Foreign teachers” teaching the English-language can earn much more than Chinese teachers. China Comment has found that Chinese teachers charge 50 to 100 yuan per hour, while foreign teachers charge no less than 150 yuan per hour.
一所外国语学校英语教师说，外教的语音语调比较纯正，词汇量大、遣词造句更为熟练，而且文化背景决定其相关知识储备也更丰富，自然受到普遍欢迎。
“我就是想着孩子跟外教学习，以后说一口流利纯正的英语，也能培养一下孩子的国际视野、了解多元文化。”谈到自己请外教给女儿上课的初衷，江苏镇江市民孙女士说出了很多家长的心声。
An English teacher at a foreign language school said that foreign teachers have impeccable accents, rich vocabulary, proficient collocation and abundant cultural background information.
"I just hope my kid can learn how to speak fluent English with a foreign teacher, at the same time broaden their horizon and get to know different cultures,” a mother in Zhenjiang City of Jiangsu Province said.
A student reading an English textbook at an elementary school in Xiong'an City of Hebei Province. /VCG Photo
加强监管，完善外籍专家就业平台
How to strengthen surveillance?
今年6月，江苏淮安对辖区内部分语言类培训机构进行突击检查，现场查出5名涉嫌非法就业外国人。
In June of this year, a surprise inspection on language training institutions was conducted in Huai'an City of Jiangsu Province. They reportedly found five foreigners who were illegally employed.
按照规定，受聘于中国境内教育机构工作的外籍教师，除了身体健康、无犯罪记录外，必须具有大学学士以上学位和2年以上相关工作经历、或具有国际认可的专业教师资格证书。此外，所聘用的外教要取得外国专家局颁发的《外国专家证》和由出入境管理局颁发的《外国人员就业证》。而且，按相关规定，一名外教通常只能在一个单位“打工”。
此外，办学机构本身要具有聘请外教的资质，且须经严格审核。
As for most foreign teachers working in China,
they are required to be:
√ physically healthy
√ with a clean criminal record
√ a bachelor's degree or above
√ with no less than two years work experience or an internationally recognized professional teaching permit
√ with a foreign expert certificate granted by the foreign experts affairs administrations in China
√ with an employment permit for foreign employees issued by the exit & entry administrations in China
√ hired by only one organization
Under the Chinese law, foreign language training institutions should be authorized with licenses to hire foreigners.
A foreign teacher teaching English at a VIP room in Qingdao City of Shandong Province. /VCG Photo
那么，如何避免“违规外教”的出现呢？
@半月谈：有教育专家呼吁，相关部门应当加强外籍专家就业平台建设，一方面为拥有专业技能的外籍人才创造便利条件，更好满足外语培训等行业的巨大需求；另一方面也要对非法就业行为加强检查和处罚，让非法雇用“黑外教”的教育机构无所遁形。
@燕赵晚报：家长们不要盲目追捧外教，在教育投入方面，不要有“只买贵的，不买对的”的心理，多一些理性消费，多一些维权意识，才能给孩子最好的教育。
China Comment reported that educational experts have called for Chinese government officials to strengthen the employment platform, in order to facilitate the employment of foreign experts and strengthen the section and punishment of illegal teachers.
Yanzhao Evening News, a Hebei-based newspaper, suggested parents to be rational about their children’s education, calling them to raise their awareness on rights-protection.