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Thumbs Up for Brunei !
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ironopolis



Joined: 01 Apr 2004
Posts: 379

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks to everybody who replied about the salary, either on the thread above, or by PM.


wanderlustlady wrote:
My pay with CfBT was calculated to be $4000 per month. I have 4 years ESL in Taiwan, and 5-6 years in Canadian schools. My top salary would be 5250, and no, this did not include the end of contract bonus. Just the monthly rate.


When you say 'was calculated to be..', do you mean CfBT confirmed that's what it would be, based on your experience and qualifications? Or is that just what you assume it would be from some salary table or details that you've been given?

Also, does anyone know - do they accept any teaching experience when they're working out how many years you have under your belt for salary grade purposes? Or does it have to be specifically public school experience, or only with a particular age range? I'm just wondering because I recall from my experience with the Hong Kong NET scheme that they were sometimes bizarrely picky about what they deemed to count as relevant experience and what they didn't.


And btw, wanderlustlady, good luck & hope it works out for you.
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wanderlustlady



Joined: 05 Apr 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sounds to me like they are only using my public school exPerence in the pay scale. That what I have been given in my contract, which I got tonight, from CfBT. I interviewed last night and heard tonight, so a very quick turn around.
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ironopolis



Joined: 01 Apr 2004
Posts: 379

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^Congratulations!

Only counting public school experience?

That's interesting and actually seems even stricter than Hong Kong were with applicants for their NET scheme. In HK, it seemed they would count years spent teaching in private language institute type schools, as long as it was to a relevant age group. (Well, in principle at least, provided you jumped through some pretty challenging hoops regarding documentation to prove it.)

Could it be that they won't count your EFL experience because it was not with an age group you'd be teaching in Brunei?

It would be a little surprising if, in Brunei, they want people to have an EFL certification as well as a public school teaching qualification, but then won't count EFL experience when they calculate your salary.

Anyone else know of people working for CfBT in Brunei who had non-public school teaching experience counted or not counted for salary purposes?
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ironopolis



Joined: 01 Apr 2004
Posts: 379

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, on second thoughts, wanderlustlady, I notice from PMs received from other posters that 11-12 years experience meant a monthly salary of B$4,250, 13-14 years got you B$4,500.

That sounds like B$4,000 would be for 9-10 years experience then, which would make sense as you said you had 4 years EFL experience in Taiwan plus 5-6 years public school. That would mean they'd counted all your teaching experience, or have I missed something?
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wanderlustlady



Joined: 05 Apr 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, you have not. When I referred back to the scale, I realised that it was on a 15 year spread, not 10 as I had thought. Sorry to miss lead you. My own school board uses 10, and I knew I was in the middle so I thought they must have discounted by years in Taiwan. Yes, I agree. They used all of my experience.

It has been so wonderful dealing with them, at this point I wouldn't care if they put me on the bottom of the rung, I would go anyways.
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ironopolis



Joined: 01 Apr 2004
Posts: 379

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good to hear and I'm glad things are working out well for you.

Are you primary or secondary btw?

Most people in (or who had been in) Brunei that I've come across on this and other forums seem to be secondary teachers. I'd be interested to hear more about the primary side.
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wanderlustlady



Joined: 05 Apr 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was hired for secondary. The HR dept told me that there is a very slow turn over in primary. Only 4 teachers left the project this year. So that could be something. I think that there might be opportunity to transfer once you are in, but it's the getting in part.
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BellaBrunei



Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 40
Location: Brunei

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:21 pm    Post subject: salaries Reply with quote

Primary and Secondary are on the same pay scale now. It was changed I think in 2008-2009.
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bule_boy69



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:18 pm    Post subject: Pay CFBT Brunei Reply with quote

On the topic of pay ....

One agent sent me some info a while back which said starting pay was higher for holders of honours degrees.

Anybody here benefited from this?

If so I'm curious how it is interpreted seeing as the term 'honours' means different things in different countries.


In general.... how are the Secondary age kids in Brunei? Is discipline a big issue/problem in some schools?

Thanks.
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jsteventon



Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 191

PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 1:55 am    Post subject: Secondary school discipline Reply with quote

Just a note on secondary school discipline - my perspective, based
on my own experience. I worked for many years in what is considered
one of the 'roughest' schools in Brunei. It was a very pleasant
surprise to find that the pupils were still respectful and pleasant - the few
discipline problems were nothing like those I would find in a 'rough'
UK school. Teaching and relating to the students was still enjoyable
and rewarding. I was still thanked politely for each lesson as they
left the class - not exactly 'rough' behaviour! I really enjoyed
teaching there.
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Insubordination



Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 394
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's surprising and unusual to see so many positive comments about one particular program. I especially like the comments about the 'rough' students.

I have penciled in Brunei for the distant future because if I ever want to remain a teacher, go scuba diving at weekends, and be able to buy a flat one day, it seems like one of the few viable international options. I have worked for 10 years in TESOL. I still love it, but financially it's just not working for me.

Since I first saw this thread, I have enrolled in a Grad. Dip. Ed. and am just about to finish my first semester. The dream is still years away, but I am closer than I was this time last year.
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celtica



Joined: 29 Jun 2008
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A comment about the discipline thing.....
Sometimes its not the "discipline" as such that causes the difficulty when teaching in Brunei.

Apathy, disinterest in learning, a history of failure throughout their school life, an inability to understand when the teacher uses English ,coming to school only because it is boring at home (I joke not! often my students say they enjoy being at school more than holidays - nothing to do at home....) a cultural acceptance of talking while the teacher is speaking.....(adults do it too during meetings/workshops)....

When you teach those students who find English very difficult/can understand and speak very little ( and you are teaching them IGCSE for example!) ....all together in one class, doing all of the above....well... it can be stressful. Not rough (they generally are not arrogant/foul mouthed/violent/angry) but still a huge challenge. More often they just ignore you and carry on talking in Malay no matter what you try.....

Then...one day you will walk into the class and they all behave like little angels.... and you wonder why you got stressed. Then the next day...back to square one..

Some of them may reach 20 before they leave Form 5/Year 11.....
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Physallis



Joined: 26 Apr 2011
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2011 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder if anyone can help me out. I have just had an interview for a job I'm really keen on in Brunei (a teaching job). The issue was raised that being a woman it would be difficult for my husband and obviously a visa for him is an issue.

He's looking for work in his current field but is also interested in getting a TESL/TEFL qualification. Is there scope for gaining employment with this? He has no teaching experience but is keen and hardworking. Any ideas/advice? I feel if we can get him sorted then Brunei is the place for us.
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zootalaws



Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 46

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Being a stay-at-home husband in Brunei isn't the worst way to spend your time Smile

It is hard getting a job here for a dependent husband.

It takes ages to get any kind of official paperwork - they don't seem to have grasped the concept that if you hire a married woman, she will probably have a husband, but the concept of a 'dependent' husband doesn't work here - most husbands are on 'visitor' visa's for a long, long time.

I have been here a year now and am still on a visitor visa... which means everything is in my wife's name - cars, insurance, internet, bank account, electricity...

Once you are here, you can see there are so many opportunities to do work (in that there are so many things that need doing...), but the problems are that if there is a job and it is half-decent, they will hire a local or a Malaysian over an expensive European. There is no chance at all to work for the government, even though they are the ones that need experienced help the most! At least, none that I have found. Government jobs here are the holy grail for locals - being the route to riches and no chance of ever getting fired - think UK railways union-style in the 1960s Smile No care, no responsibility, but a little power goes a long way...

Working for a local company is fraught with difficulty - employment law is non-existent and the working hours and conditions are not conducive to European sensibilities - 6 day work week, 8am to 6pm with 1.5hr for lunch is typical. No bonus system or medical/travel benefits, no out-of-pocket for phone, car, fuel, 10 days annual leave AFTER your first year employed. And they can fire you for no reason with no come-back... I have heard some real horror stories.

The other option is to get a job with a foreign company that is operating in Brunei, but those are few. Mostly infrastructure (water, power, civil engineering) or telecoms (DST - joint Malaysian/Brunei co.).

There is work at the international schools and places like CfBT in non-teaching posts, but again, few jobs and low pay.

Then there is Shell - which is the biggest employer and the best option for expat work - but unless you are in the oil/gas business, not many openings - all the admin and IT posts are taken with either Shell graduates or family of existing Shell staff.

You can't start your own business without a Bruneian 'partner' - which is another word for 'exploiter' - they basically will register you a business, rent offices, etc. but then expect a massive amount of money each month for doing so - before any business expenses are taken care of. This is the way Malaysian, Bangladeshi, Indian, Indonesian 'Business owners' manage to run a small business here. I know of a small shop where the owner is paying nearly $2500/M in rent and $3000 to his 'partner' - who also happens to be the landlord he is paying rent to, then he has to pay 25% of all profit to them as well. Not a equitable system - the partner takes no interest in the running of the business, only in the accounts - making sure they get their cut. It is a very exploitative system.

So - not to scare you off or anything, just trying to be realistic about potential for jobs.

If your husband is very skilled and has a good work pedigree, it can be easier, but it seems it is all about who you know, not what you know Smile I'm afraid I don't know anybody much...

I have gotten an internet job doing remote support and that has proven to be quite good - the money is far better than the same money working here and with no tax and an incredibly low standard of living, it is working out just fine.
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jsteventon



Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 191

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:02 am    Post subject: working spouse Reply with quote

Hi,

The bottom line on this question is that it is strictly illegal to work on a dependent visa and an even more serious offence to work on a tourist visa. If spouses do so, they risk at the very least being expelled from the country / hefty fines and/or imprisonment. So really, if the non-CfBT spouse is not going to be happy without working, this job is not for you.

Not particularly useful to talk about possible work in light of the above.

JS
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