I find this utterly abhorrent, and appalling manners by an employer, and I feel that this sort of thing needs to be stamped out before it spreads any further. He – and others – must not be allowed to treat potential employees with such disdain.

Stamped out before it spreads any further? This disgraceful state of affairs is quite common on the Chinese mainland, and Hong Kong, though a differnt entity from the mainland of China, is still Chinese- governed, after all!

Private employers in China are not trustworthy and have bad manners in many cases. Best to stick to the public sector for job hunting. Just to add that Taiwan has an equally poor reputation in this respect.

I'd rename that private school "Chancer's English" as the boss is clearly a chancer!