Job Discussion Forums

[saltyham]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone has any information on how ELES Center is in Oman. I see a lot of information about ELS from a search, but it's quite old. Does anyone know how things are going now and what to expect?

I've done enough years in ESL to know that some of teaching abroad is about perspective, and you must take the good with the bad and accept that things can be unorganized or last minute, so I am quite flexible. What I do want to know about is payment. Are employees getting paid? Are they being treated well? Are their contracts being honored?

Thanks!

[Sleepwalker]

Could you give us a city?

[CANDLES]

Which company are you referring to? ELS in Muscat who have colleges in Muscat, Baraka and used to be in Buraimi (now defunct), or someone else?

[omanoman]

ELES is a language center based in Muscat with branches in Mawaleh (muscat) Sohar and Salalah I believe. I know some people who have worked for them part-time and no issues, adult students, general English curriculum.

I also know that they had the contracts for opening universities in Sharqiyah and Buraimi and had many issues there, but from my sources, the issues were almost all from the university side regarding payments, the program changes etc.

From my own experience with Ministry and university administrators, VIP's and so on, I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they managed to operate the foundation programs at all despite dealing with the avarice and incompetence that is often in play with these higher ed types.

omanoman

[madrileno]

If you've the necessary credentials demanded by the Ministry (minimum related BA; MA in TEFL or Education preferred) don't even consider ELS/ELES.

There are ministry jobs constantly being advertised by the recruiting agencies, especially in the interior. Pay is always on time (not the case with ELS/ELES), and contracts are more or less respected by employers, (and not considered a mere suggestion like by the shifty company being discussed).

Stay far away, even if you're desperate. Look to Asia instead if you don't meet the necessary requirements. If that's the case, get a related MA and make the move to the Gulf, later.

[omanoman]

I am going to disagree with that categorization. I have spent my time back in the day with language centers here and there and would compare what I have seen and heard with ELES quite favorably. I don't think they are unscrupulous.

Anyway, these forums are open to anyone with a grudge, legitimate or not and as my brief history here shows, I like to defend the employer side quite often. In fact, as you mentioned Ministry jobs, well, you might refer back to Muscat Gary's assertion that they didn't pay him and many others for 5 months!

omanoman

[balqis]

Simply unbearable.
balqis

[CANDLES]

Well -omanoman-, I don't think you had the pleasure of working for a dodgy director with a 'degree and Dr' status in Religion, running an ELS Language School! otherwise you wouldn't be siding.

[veiledsentiments]

... that is different from some of these dodgy recruiter employers how? And, some of them are "running" supposed "university" foundations programs.

VS

[omanoman]

I think you are referring to the very dodgy director of the program which was in Buraimi. And I agree with you entirely but that was a stand alone contract, long over now and has nothing to do with ELES now. Even then, it was just a contracted out foundation program run separately from the language school and, yeah, that guy was a real jerk apparently.

[madrileno]

[MuscatGary]

The same thing is happening this year but isn't affecting as many people as the Ministry seems to have handed over virtually all recruitment to Hawthorn.

[Sleepwalker]

An aside - what is happening with CfBT now?

[MuscatGary]

[pret a porter]