Job Discussion Forums

cha muir · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 64 Location: Plateau, Montreal

Hi Y'all,

Not sure how many questions have gone unanswered, but I'll try to get to the ones I read.

I've been here a year and a half, with CfBT.

Short answer, as a family man with two children, I recommend it. There are not many single folks, but of the ones I know, they report liking it.

The pay scale is available on the CfBT website, so just poke around. Minimum requirements are on there too, but in brief: qualified teacher, two (three?) years of relevant teaching experience.

Here's what a lot of guys get up to:

sailing, swimming, socializing at the yacht club (100 dollars a month)
squash, tennis, badminton, working out, swimming at the Royal Brunei Rec. Club, or for a higher price at the Empire Hotel club; or at the JPMC rec. center.
golf, (900 dollars a year membership fee)
scuba
surfing
motorbike riding in the jungle
playing music with friends, sometimes at local music studios which rent out time in the jam rooms
ultimate frisbee
Hashing in the Jungle
visiting waterfalls
going across the border for drinks (45 min. drive)
martial arts
any-do-it-yourself activities (how much imagination do you have?)

In short, people here are quite active, and locals are involved in most of the above activities. There is both money and leisure time, so most of these things can be done mid-week, as well as on the weekend.

I'll check in later to answer any other questions you may have.

Yours,

Cha Muir

JacobTM · Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 73 Location: New York

Hi I am a young teacher finishing my Masters in TESOL, I wonder how restrictive the laws here are?

I'm thinking of this in reference to Saudi Arabia or Qatar, where police may stop you for holding hands in public with a woman who is not your wife, etc.

Basically, are you able to be so liberal as to have a girlfriend in Brunei, or is this basically illegal as in some Middle Eastern countries?

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:10 am Post subject:

I'm certainly not as well-informed about Brunei as many of the posters here, but, once I get my Graduate Diploma of Education and the necessary experience, I plan on applying for a job at an international school in Brunei or CfBT.

I was actually in Brunei about two months ago for a short holiday and it's a lovely country full of the nicest people you are likely to meet! Like cah muir said, if you are the active, outdoorsy type, there are plenty of things to do. Although I'm not a heavy drinker, I could live without the booze ban, but, as others have stated, there are legal ways around that.

JB Shaw · Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 3 Location: UK

Hi All
I ended my contract last year after 7 yrs in Brunei with CfBT.
So much has changed over that time. CfBT have lost their focus on the people and are now just another corporate body looking at money. The management has become indifferent, to say the least and the teachers are generally very unhappy.
So many people have left over the last 2 yrs and I know of at least 30 who will leave at the end of 2014 because they are fed up.
IGNORE the sickly positives of STEVENSON....she is obviously either working for CfBT or blinded and living in cloud-cuckoo land.
CfBT run the company in Brunei by putting the fear of God into people and threatening you with th eMoE. The MoE are passive and will NEVER get involved unless there is serious trouble like drugs/alcohol etc.
Life in Brunei is amazing, the money is great and the job is wonderful.
A great pity about the bad management and lack of care from a oathetic company.

sting29 · Joined: 29 Jan 2014 Posts: 4

My husband (UK) has recently been offered a contract with CfBT in Brunei and from what we can see there is a choice of 2 schools for our 9 yr old daughter. The International School Brunei and Jerudong International School. ISB is described as a 'nice , established international school' and JIS as 'modern and well resourced'. We know some CfBT parents have moved their children to JIS whilst others are happy with ISB.
We know JIS is more expensive and further out of BSB. What we would really like to know about is standard and quality of teaching, children's happiness index, exam results and college placement and general parental well being.
It would be great to hear first hand from current parents about which school they prefer for their children and why.

currentaffairs · Joined: 22 Aug 2012 Posts: 828

Do the school or college jobs on offer in Brunei (CfBT or otherwise) always require you to have a driving license?

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:10 am Post subject:

I also have a quick question about the three years of "classroom experience". Is experience in international schools acceptable or does it have to be in your home country? If international schools are acceptable, does anyone know about what type of accreditation is necessary? Many thanks!

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 8:19 am Post subject:

Just came across the below link. Thought it might be helpful to share.

http://www.eslteachingonline.com/teach-english-abroad-brunei-with-cfbt-school/

chrisp728 · Joined: 13 Oct 2012 Posts: 40

Hello all. Had a quick butcher's around and this Brunei CfBT gig seems reasonably intriguing: nice climate and lifestyle, and they seem to sponsor your wife and kids and pay for two of them to go to a private school out there. This in the event that I decide to forego my freedom and spawn crotchfruit at some stage in the distant future.

I've got a degree, CELTA, and several years EFL experience: reckon that would get me in the door? Or would I have to get some extra quals? Which would be good? If so, it would have to be online - are they recognised in Brunei? What do some Brunei hands reckon?

Many thanks to any and all who care to comment Smile

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

I couldn't give a feather on a chicken's ass about the Sultan and his fried religion, however of all the ESL possibilities, Brunei may be the only one actually worth getting additional qualifications to teach. The only problem is, what if you get your qualifications and they don't want you? Then off to the other untenable, diminishing salary, lack of Judeo-Christian ethics bullshit jobs for you. All of them unstable and with crappy pay. If you decide you have to turn to Saudi Arabia or the other Gulf State imbeciles, you cannot have one credit of online classes on your transcripts for any degree, keep that in mind. They have standards there you know.