Job Discussion Forums

[rickit]

Hi everyone!

We're a married teaching couple thinking of going overseas again-- this time to Oman. I have an M.Ed in Linguistics and my husband has a BA Hons with TESL certification and an MA in progress.

Does anyone have any idea what we can expect in terms of salaries and conditions there? I've read most of the posts on this board, hope I haven't missed anything, but it seems that SQU is the place to go, or someplace in Muscat.

I've also just been given the opportunity to 'go forward' with an application to Nizwa. I've read the comments about the place but wonder if anyone's got anything recent?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[rickit]

I've just read the posts written by two teachers who were leaving as soon as they could but there doesn't seem to be anything from them since around March.

Seems that there isn't much good to say about the place. I wonder if the management has improved any?

[zakiah25]

ELS has a mixed reputation throughout the Middle East but it depends on which branch you are assigned to.From Nizwa, it's easy to get to Muscat for the weekends. Nizwa is in the interior and near the mountains, so the scenery is interesting.You can visit Jebel Akhtar which is nearby (Jebel is Arabian word for Mountain).It's very hot at this time of year - 46 degrees Celsius is a daily occurrence. But the Winters are nice.
If you have a 4 wheel drive, you can go into the desert - there are some great diving spots off the coast (Ras al Had).
Nizwa has 2 hotels (they sell alcoholic drinks - but to buy takeaways, you need a liquor licence and you can buy from liquor outlets in Muscat)
I think that you will enjoy your time in Oman, the people and students are friendly - best of luck!

[rickit]

Thank you so much for your response. It's great to hear from people out there and it sounds quite beautiful.

When were you there? Is your experience recent? Can you tell us why you left your position there?

Thank you!

[veiledsentiments]

Hey Ricket,

I answered your PM, but I just would add here that personally I would avoid ELS if possible. You can drive to Nizwa from Muscat... nice place to visit, but personally I would want to either live there or work for ELS.

VS

[rickit]

What is it with ELS? Is it that they are privatized? Students spoiled? Management incompetent and dire?

Sigh. Not again!

[Signor]

I have never worked for ELS in Oman but I was offered a job in Abu Dhabi. I was interested in working with the DOS as (during correspondence) she came across as a realistic, hard working person. She had just taken up her post.

She emailed me very near my departure date and said that she had resigned and that ELS would complete arrangements on my behalf. I sent a few emails asking about my contract, tickets etc but I never heard from them again.

I emailed the DOS and asked why she had left and she said that she did not find the situation acceptable but would not go into more details.

I then did some investigation and it seems that ELS has a reasonably good reputation outside the Middle East but something has gone wrong within the Gulf - I have heard the blame being laid at the door of the 'sponsor' but each Gulf country will have a different sponsor.

So, I'm confused. In Oman, ELS appear to treat part-timers well and their Muscat branch seems to be mainly staffed by hourly paid staff. The manager everyone complained about has gone - but the problems continue.

I would love to know what the basic problems are too. They don't seem to be confined to Oman.

[rickit]

I can't work it out and hope people keep writing to this thread to let us know what's really happening there.

The recruiter I'm working with here is reputable but seems to have no idea what's going on there. The news she gets is that everything's fine in Nizwa, except for those infamous 'teething problems' that the school seemed to have last year, the first year it was up and running. Now, I presume that means that ELS took over the managment of the school a couple of years ago? Or has ELS always had the management of the school? I'm wondering if the situation the equivelent of a private company taking the name of a reputable university and then running the language school into the ground for money. Does that sound like what's happening to you?

Well, more questions than answers, I'm afraid.

Let's keep in touch, keep writing and digging around, does that sound good? With help, maybe we can unravel the mystery What do you think?

[mci]

Just to clarify a couple of points - the U of Nizwa is brand new from the ground up last year - ELS hasn't taken anything over nor have they run it into the ground. They are currently running the foundation program and that's all.

The 'teething problems' still probably exist to some degree as nothing is ever as good as the entire staff would like. Living in Nizwa would be part of the challenge I think - services and amenities are just not what most people are used to - it is the Middle east after all, and a small town.
If you've never worked in the ME then you should be ready for all kinds of delays and surprises regarding the various paperwork etc. - if you can't roll with a few punches, do not come to the Gulf.

Muscat is great and not too far but you would need a car - 4x4 if you can afford it. There are some great things to do in Oman without a doubt.

I would caution to take any posting on this forum with a grain of salt, especially the more vehemently negative ones. There are some real characters in the field who will never be satisfied - what do you call a basement full of teachers? A whine cellar of course.
mci

[rickit]

Hi mci,

I swear I answered your post. Was I dreaming? Did I click on pm by accident?

Please tell me I'm not sleeptyping or something....

[veiledsentiments]

I don't know what happened to ELS in the Gulf. The branch in Muscat had continual problems from day one. They ran through managers like water. The Abu Dhabi branch had a few quiet years, and now they seem to be the one that can't keep a manager. It has always been a place that was 'probably' OK to teach a little part-time with, but forget it otherwise.

Most people were shocked that they had the contract at the new university in Nizwa. I think this is poor planning by the government and a reflection of excessive penny pinching. I suspect that they will be 'teething' forever... and it will never be a place that most professional teachers want to be involved with. They are taking people with little experience or credentials. I'm sure that included in that group are people who are serious and sincere, but there will also be way too many who are not. When you have 'iffy' management, and a few too many overly eccentric teachers, living in the hinterlands with little to occupy them but each other... it isn't a great mix.

IMHO, it is a last resort job... one of those jobs to get one's feet into the door in the Gulf. At least the students are quite pleasant and the scenery is wonderful...

VS

[Aliskander]

The problem with Oman is that once someone gets a bad name it sticks for life.
I am currently working part time for ELS in Salalah, my friend works full time there and another friend works full time in Nizwa. No one would dispute that the start up was a little messy - as with most companies. However i am very happy and impressed with the company and so are my two friends. Get over the past and look at the present.
There is another language centre in Salalah that i would not touch with a 10 foot barge pole - yet other people are happy to work there. ELS Salalah has a good reputation, good standards and good facilities - i have been told the same for Nizwa. My friend has been there for a year and he has no plans to leave. He also admits there were some hiccups but is happy and okay with everything now.

[mci]

I'd like to agree with aliskander on this one - I too have friends who are working or have worked for ELS in Muscat and Nizwa and they are happy in both areas. The Muscat branch is doing well these days and I don't hear of any real problems from the part-timers - some even say it's a relief to work there away from their more stressful and disorganised full-time jobs!

As for Nizwa, the same can be said - yes, the 'teething' was tough and there will always be things to improve upon but overall, it seems that the situation has been sorted out.

So, times do change.

mci

[veiledsentiments]

I think that like most language schools, ELS was and still is fine as long as you were/are part timers.

I am just thankful that I entered the Gulf with my MA in hand and didn't have to deal with any of them. Personally I would avoid about 95% of all jobs where you are not directly hired by the Ministry of Higher Education... no middle men is a good rule. That is where all the problems seem to appear... that and some of the private colleges, and especially the private international schools.

VS

[oh_lucky_me]

Just waved a fond farewell to two more friends who are leaving Oman because they cannot get release letters - this time from ELS!!! Clang Clang!!!