Talks on special accommodation allowances continue after demand for increase to $15,000 is dropped
High-level talks have led to agreement over new bonus payments to boost retention of native English-speaking teachers, the NETs' association says.
But negotiations with officials continue over the future of the NETs' special allowance after the Native English Speaking Teachers' Association (Nesta) dropped a demand to raise it to $15,000.
The special allowance, which was cut from $13,000 to $10,500 a month for half of NETs last year and for the other half this month, is meant to cover higher rental costs and other additional expenses faced by expatriates.
The association is launching an online poll of 600 NETs today on three options to review the special allowance each year to keep pace with changing living costs that have been thrashed out with officials.
A delegation from Nesta met behind closed doors for talks on NETs' pay packages with Chris Wardlaw, deputy secretary for education, and Sam Hui Chark-shum, assistant secretary in charge of the NET scheme, for the second time on Thursday.
Spokesman Perry Bayer said they agreed to a proposal from the Education and Manpower Bureau for a bonus amounting to 5 per cent of salary for NETs who sign a second contract and to 10 per cent for those staying for a third or subsequent one.