Sadly, doesitmatter has hit the nail on the proverbial head. It's not just schools but ANYBODY here who can break the law with impunity if they "know" the right people. Even being here for over five years it still surprises me just how audacious these politically connected folks can be. At my uni it is just ridiculous. Of the seven or eight FT's at least five are there totally illegally. Three of them have been here for a number of years. Any truly qualified teacher catches on quickly and bolts, a few in the middle of the term without telling anyone. Any warm body with a "Western" face attached to it is hired, qualified or not. The living conditions are dreadful, the pay low and it seems nobody ever gets the promised airfare at the end of the contract but the unqualified folks say nothing because they know they'll never get another uni position anywhere else. As soon as I'm away from here I'll start naming names and providing details. My biggest fear is that with the economy at home the way it is now more unqualified folks will flock here and things will get even worse.