Job Discussion Forums

[AnneSansTete]

After reading through the posts about Sur, I find myself a bit confused about the employers.

In one post, someone states that Sur College of Applied Sciences is under control of the Ministry of Higher Ed, and in another post, a different user states that Hawthorn Muscat recruits for Sur College of Applied Sciences. Who is correct?

Are SUC and SCAS owned by the same people? I have had offers from both but don't want to accept a job that will be...unpleasant, shall we say? I've read the postings and have been warned.

Are these the only employers in Sur?

Thanks in advance!

[doirebhoy1888]

SUC is a private university owned by The Bahwan Group and HR generally does the recruitment.

Recruitment for SCAS is carried out by either the MOE or through Hawthorn. There's over 20 teachers in the English faculty and about 80% are Hawthorn employees.

SCAS is definitely the better of the two. More money, better working conditions, and less paperwork. SUC requires all teachers to be on campus from 8-4, whereas SCAS asks it's staff to allocate a few hours per week for office hours

I'm sure you've read many negative posts about SCAS on this site, but the vast majority of teachers have signed up for next year.

Send me a PM if you need more info.

[seekandfind]

I also am curious about Sur/Oman. And want to know: is it standard practice for them to issue a signed offer letter and state that a contract will come later after Ministry of Higher Education approves the application? I have been dealing directly with the school thus far and they seem confident things will move along. Are they just waiting for my degree attestation (which has been ordered)? Or should I read red flag?

Would love to hear more from someone who has had some experience in Oman.

Thanks in advance.

Warmly,

[La Reve]

Many, many years ago, (more than 25) a Jewish person took a Saudi Arabian university to court in the USA for discrimination. And won. Since then, all contracts in the Gulf are signed within the hiring country so foreign laws will not apply.

Yes, this is normal. From my experience, none of my college or university Gulf contracts have deviated from the actual contract letter.

In Korea, contracts are full of lies because they are only necessary to secure the visa. Upon arrival, teachers often learn contracts are useless.

However, corruption in Oman has escalated. I would guess within a few years Oman may possibly turn into another Korea with all its unethical recruiters: you will have, as in Korea, a 50-50 chance of getting a decent contract and being treated well. Just wait until the insurance company representative from India brags he was trained in the USA! That to me was a bells and whistle warning of con jobs, especially when he threw in the term, "pre-exist-ing" (I can't spell check it no matter how I write it) condition'.

For now, simply prepare for excessive social isolation: all locations in Oman, other than Muscat, are very rural with few delights, unless you love camping, reading, home hobbies, have a family of non-school age children, and like to stay at home a lot.

But it is far superior to being un- or underemployed back home.

Oh dear - Sur is terribly rural.... but it has a nice seacoast.

Good luck!

[veiledsentiments]

[tjteachin]

In my recent experience, I was made the offer after the phone interview and then waited for the approval by the MoE, which took two months. Then I came and signed the contract.