Placing the blame on Filipino teachers for not being 'native' oversimplifies the real issue

"Even a taxi cab driver in the Philippines knows how to have a conversation in English. In fact, even our constitution is written in English. I understand, the problem maybe both ways, but to put the blame solely on the teachers sounds irrational."
ricoabestanojr

"English is an official language in the Philippines, meaning almost everyone in the Philippines will speak English far better than the Vietnamese English teachers at the school in question."
wedime6060

"Can Vietnam afford to pay "native English teachers" from U.K. U.S. I doubt you can. Yes Filipinos and others do have different accent but then don't everyone have one. What makes "native speakers" more superior than others?. There are many natives who aren't qualified yet engaged as English teachers just because they are from so called English speaking countries. What's more important is whether these teachers can deliver an effective, engaging and interesting lessons to students."
svgovin

"I am from India and studied in English medium schools since kindergarten, have a Masters degree from a U.S. university and been living in USA for 40 years. I know English better than a lot of "native" English speakers. I went for a trial teaching session at one of the English centers. I attempted the kids to speak up. I kept trying to engage them in conversation. They could not speak a sentence of English. The center was not satisfied with my approach, they wanted a teacher who could "entertain" the kids. Singing, dancing? There are schools for that. The focus in Vietnam is on getting through the IELTS, not on practical conversation. I would not send my child to those English centers."
ajay006

"Less than a quarter of the speakers of English in the world are native speakers. If your child only learns from native speakers they will never survive in international environments, where, truly, native speakers are the minority of English learners. In Vietnam, the EFL market has become so bad in the 9 years I've lived here, that most good teachers upskill and move into teaching other subjects at better schools. English teachers are regularly treated awfully by companies here, and Vietnam sadly now has a reputation internationally as somewhere to avoid if you're serious about teaching EFL. The obsession with IELTS, dwindling wages, the huge unruly classes, and constant gaslighting of professionals has driven most real teaching talent away. Meanwhile, there are many excellent hard-working non-native teachers who are filling the gap."
mattking1984

"With all due respect, placing the blame on Filipino teachers for not being "native" oversimplifies the real issue. English education should not be judged solely on accent, but on how well students can communicate, comprehend, and apply the language in real contexts. Filipino teachers are among the most experienced ESL educators in the world, trained not only in language but also in pedagogy, which is vital for helping learners succeed.

We also need to be realistic about expectations: US$11 a month is not sufficient to hire native speakers, especially given the workload and class sizes teachers often handle. Filipino teachers step in to fill this gap, making English education accessible to many, despite the challenges.

Instead of undervaluing their contributions, we should appreciate the expertise and dedication they bring, while also pushing for systemic improvements in curriculum, teacher support, and fair compensation. After all, education is not about where the teacher comes from it's about the quality of learning students receive."
marieassumpta00