I have to say I have met a good few FT's in China without so much as an O level, let alone a degree (well,most have been to Bangkok University) My observations of these teachers were that they were perfectly adequate to fulfil the requirements of Chinese schools, and indeed a few were better teachers than myself by far. On the other hand I have met a good few FT's bristling with degrees, yet had a much weaker grasp on English than their colleagues working on degrees purchased down the Khaosan Road. Some little 22 year old girl fresh from some run of the mill university in Pennsylvania is not going to have anywhere near the command of English that a 45 year old well-read ex-plumber turned FT from Watford England. When we talk about teaching English in China we are talking about Oral English(mostly)-Just turn up on time and open ypur mouth will do nicely.

I can agree with a lot of what you are saying here. I knew plenty of guys in China not only without any university education, but I wondered how much secondary education they had...and they still got hired in jobs. An ex army mechanic I knew always got work in China, but I don't get how being able to change the treads on a tank at some base in Cyprus equates with teaching English in China but there you go...