ENGLISH TEACHER Theresa Butler flew back to Britain with her family last week, leaving Hong Kong behind after 12 years. Whatever uncertainties lay ahead, she could be confident of one thing: She wouldn't be passing a stampede of teachers coming the other way.
'Hong Kong is a marvellous place to live and work, but younger teachers aren't on such good packages as they were before,' she said. 'It's expensive here and it's becoming a lot less attractive for overseas teachers.'
Hong Kong used to be regarded among teachers - so often underpaid and undervalued in their home countries - as a good place to make money. In recent years, however, the packages have shrunk and so, too, has the number of quality applicants looking to come here.
That situation has worsened over the past 12 months through a combination of factors; worries over Sars and bird flu, concern over pollution, a global shortage of international teachers and a highly unfavourable exchange rate for the Hong Kong dollar.
The money is still good. Butler, who teaches English up to A-level and had 10 years' experience before coming to Hong Kong, has worked mostly on rolling term-long contracts as a supply teacher at an international school, earning more than $50,000 a month.
However, the differentials are lower and the disadvantages are beginning to outweigh the advantages for many teachers pondering an overseas move. When Butler is back in Britain for instance, she can earn a day rate of #100 as a supply teacher, which with the Hong Kong dollar slump, is more generous than the local day rate of $1,400.
