Filipinos Rally Behind Teacher After Foreign Tutor’s Viral Criticism
South African ESL tutor Marnus Matthysen is facing criticism after posting a reaction video that mocked the English skills of a Filipino online teacher.
In the three-minute video, Matthysen reviewed the Filipino teacher’s introductory video and repeatedly commented on her pronunciation, grammar, and word choices. He questioned how she had earned a bachelor’s degree if she could not speak English properly.
He also criticized Filipino teachers who offer online lessons for about $2 an hour, or roughly ₱122. Matthysen said extremely low rates allow cheaper teachers to replace more experienced ESL tutors. He argued that teachers should compete based on their skills, quality, and results rather than simply offering the lowest price.
The video quickly drew strong reactions from Filipino netizens and teachers. Many defended the Filipino teacher and said Matthysen could have raised his concerns without mocking or humiliating another person.
Some ESL teachers said they understood his concerns about inexperienced tutors offering services at very low rates. They agreed that extremely low fees could hurt experienced teachers and potentially affect students. However, they also criticized Matthysen’s approach and said professional concerns should be discussed respectfully.
Other Filipino users responded by examining Matthysen’s previous social media posts and pointing out grammatical errors in his own writing.
Following the backlash, Matthysen posted a 12-minute follow-up video on August 12 to defend his original comments. He said he received accusations of racism, personal insults, and messages that he considered threatening. He also said the controversy increased engagement on his original post.
Matthysen later acknowledged that some of his words were too harsh. He clarified that he was not claiming that Filipino teachers are generally bad and said he knows many highly skilled Filipino educators.
Despite his explanation, the controversy continued because many people believed his original video focused more on insulting the Filipino teacher than offering constructive criticism.
