Job Discussion Forums

[trustme]

Royal Commission for Jubail are now advertising for ESL teachers to teach at the University College Jubail (as the other colleges appear to have a better management, they are able to retain their staff!).

Whenever I see this advertisement it annoys me because it is full of untruths. The true story, is shown in bold below:

Conditions of Service:(hahaha)

Salary: Jubail Industrial College offers a competitive salary based on educational background and experience.This is a blatant lie. As a native English teacher (by native I mean someone born in London England, to white English parents), my total monthly salary was 9510SAR(including the 900sar transportation allowance). Incidentally, you can expect to pay more than this to get around Jubail-the most expensive city in KSA.

Other Remuneration: There is an End of Service payment of half a month's salary for each of the first five (5) years of employment, and one month salary for each of the subsequent years. Overtime is paid when employees work extra hours. You will receive your overtime pay at least 6 weeks after you have been teaching the extra hours. POSSIBLY, to allow for others to take their baksheesh-a lexical item you will learn the meaning of at RC.

Housing: Every employee, single or with family, will be provided with a furnished housing unit or receive a rental allowance. Utilities are not provided. The single accommodation consists of a small room (not big enough to swing the proverbial cat around in). The single accommodation has been neglected to the state of being almost derelict (lights not working, problems with windows, inoperable locks on doors etc). The single accommodation is not ideal for western teachers who are used to a bit of comfort. They are instead intended for Indian, Bangladeshi, Filipino (most of whom appear to be gay!), and Pakistani dwellers. There is a waiting list for family accommodation and there are always problems with the fixtures and fittings.

Vacation: Holidays follow a national academic calendar for the whole country. This normally includes around ten (10) days for Ramadan and the same for Hajj, plus eight ( weeks in the summer. There is normally a semester break as well. During all these paid holidays, those who want to leave the country may obtain single or multiple entry visas. The holidays are long, but don't tell you that when you arrive-YOU must pay for your own Iquama (500SAR) and visas. Multiple visas are 500SAR. So if you have four children or more (as many non-native teachers do), you can expect to pay a lot every vacation time.

Working Hours: There are five (5) working days per week (Saturday through Wednesday). Lecturers and Instructors have to teach up to twenty (20) contact hours a week, including labs. In addition, there is a minimum requirement of ten (10) office hours per week. Lecturers have to teach 17 hours per week-NOT 20. Oh dear,,they can't even get their own economies of the truth right! AND...the overtime rate is 60SAR per hour! Hardly worth it, when you consider the national average is at least 150SAR?However, it's a cheap way to get more work done without more teachers having to be employed. [b]And the chairperson or his trained followers will check on you to make sure you do your office hours, despite the fact that students will be too laz to come and see you for any reason! [/b]

Air Tickets: A round-trip air ticket will be provided once a year for the employee, his wife, and up to two children up to the age of 18.This is not a simple process. You must go to the RC building-you get no help from Admin in this regard. There is an affiliated (could think of more suitable words) travel agency inside. The guy there will book you an imaginery flight. You then take the print out which he gives you back to the Academic Building (note: not the Admin building). A Saudi there will then give it to Admin. Admin will then give it back to RC. Then, they will book a real flight for you. However, make certain that the Academic& Admin staff are aware of when the actual vacation date is.Last year it was changed resulting in tickets needing to be changed.This year they realised they got their dates wrong in time!

Health Care: The employee and members of his family will be provided with free medical care at the Royal Commission health care facilities. This is true. The health care provided is good and free. However, try not to get sick during prayer times!

Education of Children: Two of the employee's children, under the age of 15, will be provided free education in schools specified by the Royal Commission. If you are white and British or American, you children can go to ISG School. However, if you are not white you can forget it. They don't clearly state this. I wonder why??

Probation: There is a ninety (90) day probation period. Family status employees can bring their families only after the probation period is successfully completed.Though if you are an extremist and at a meeting publicly declare that students are on a Jihad (I was actually at this meeting) you can get your probationary period extended as Mr.A did.


Don't make the mistake I did.Make an informed judgement first. I wish I had took a previous offer from this valuable website.[

[scot47]

I gather you did not enjoy the experience. Apart from the rather low salary most of your gripes apply to every job that a teacher would find in KSA. Maybe you should have stayed in London ?

[jargonscott]

I'd like to believe that anyone entertaining the idea of working in KSA has done their due diligence. If you've taken the time to research it beforehand (especially on this forum), you should be well aware of the realities of life inside the kingdom.

Though my employer in KSA certainly wasn't perfect, I had it a lot better than most. I learned a lot over the course of that contract. The most important lesson being:

While in KSA, trying to understand or change anything will usually be a waste of your time and energy. Kick your heels up. Let the waves of chaos and lack-of-planning/efficiency wash over you as the current drags you down the river of Insha'Allah. Do your part, play your role, but don't fight the current. When things are still a mess despite your hard work, laugh it off. If you can't, you're in trouble.

I really doubt posting multiple, identical threads that consist of feverish text will accomplish much. Simply adding your experience to the myriad of other threads on JUC and Raseel should be suffice. This community values detailed experiences like yours, but mainly when they sound like they were written by a sane person. I also think it's important to note that JUC and Raseel will continue to sucker people into terrible contracts with or with your internet shaming. If your only goal with this thread was to vent, I hope you got it off your chest once and for all.

Wherever you're at these days, I hope you're happily thriving outside of the kingdom. I know I am.

[abayababy]

[Rena58]

Not my experience either. There are USA, UK, Australian teachers making 5,000$ and more in this area.

[veiledsentiments]

[Zara461]

[hezamalaman]

@trustme

have you thought about PMU? That place is very diff....Oh, no wait a minute!

[dorothy1]

I don't work for JUC nor do I know anybody who does.

Simply put, If you don't like your job, then leave.

KSA is full of teachers who are miserable with there jobs and vent there anger here on Dave's.

We have invented things called airplanes. time to use one

[cmp45]

[johnslat]

Dear cmp45,

Hear, Hear!!!

Regards,
John

[scot47]

A basic of US$4000 with the opportunity to earn more with an extra hour and/or teaching in part of your vacation. And that in a job where you are in class for 30 weeks out of 52. That is what i would say. With civilised accommodation, basic medical cover, education allowance for children and tickets for self and dependants.

US$4000 is SR15000

[Rena58]

Scot47

Pretty close, but then remember to consider the city where your future employer is located, institution, if you are male or female - men are stil worth double than women in the Kingdom, your experience, education, civil status and passport.

I had a project and plan before I came over. I�ve personally accomplished a lot more that I thought I could. My only draw back I�ve paid a price healthwise.

[trustme]

I readily admit that I made a big mistake. I'm not trying to convince anyone I am perfect, I am merely attempting to highlight the true conditions of employment at UCJ so that others don't make the same mistake as I did.

No amount of research would ever reveal the true fact that the English department is made up of Algerian, Pakastani, and Indian Mutawa that attempt to convert ALL teachers to Islam. If you do not convert, they WILL make your life a misery there.

[Grendal]