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Mennomania
Joined: 17 Dec 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:43 pm Post subject: Heritage International School corruption |
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Heritage International School is a K-12 campus accredited by the Canadian Province of Manitoba's Ministry of Education. Ostensibly all teachers are certified Manitoba teachers. Located in 6th of October, a recently developed satellite suburb west of Cairo, the campus opened in 2006 to cater to Egyptian students with wealthy parents. The appeal is that graduation provides relatively easy access to Canadian universities.
Egyptian Ministry of Manpower files indicate that this academic year (2013-2014) there are 15 teachers with legit work visas, and 25 with 3-month tourist visas which are periodically renewed for the length of the contract. Presumably, similar stats reflect former years. (For example, this year there's a Kindergarten teacher who's been with the school since its inception. Never ever held a work visa!)
Tourist visas specifically state in bold English print: "Work is not Permitted."
Should you accept a contract with Heritage, the assertive Head Principal will attempt to manipulate you into accepting a tourist visa "just like most of the teachers and I myself have".
This violates both the contract's visa clause and Egyptian Manpower laws. The Head Principal will further justify his policy by claiming that the government of Egypt is much too preoccupied with other political crises than to worry about a few illegal foreign teachers.
You will be informed that the work visa application process is too protracted. Not so. My research at Manpower informs me 7-10 days, with an approx 6-month waiting period for the security check. Manpower's handwritten notation beside the granted work visa in your passport allows you to be employed whilst waiting for the security check.
What the Head Principal won't tell you is that a tourist visa costs the school about 10 pounds -- US$1.50. Sponsoring a work visa sets Heritage back 3,400 pounds -- US$490. How much money has Heritage "saved" over the past six years?
Further, the contract states that Heritage will pay the Egyptian income tax for each foreign teacher -- about 20% of salary. But this of course may be easily circumvented if teachers hold tourist visas. Again, how much has been "saved"?
Over the past month corruption reports have been submitted to the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Education, Income Tax Authority and 6th of October police. All are investigating.
Manpower has the authority to, in conjunction with Immigration, issue swift deportation orders. Education has the authority to close the school. The Income Tax Authority can enforce hefty tax evasion penalties. 6th of October's district attorney? _____ Fill in the blank.
Manpower has declared the contract illegal in many respects. The contract was written up, in collusion with the Director of Heritage -- a fantastically wealthy Egyptian businessman (think property development) -- by the teacher recruiter in Winnipeg.
You guessed it! The ole bait-and-switch routine!
Red alert: Keep plenty of distance between your signature and these shysters!
Last edited by Mennomania on Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:32 am; edited 2 times in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 12:57 am Post subject: |
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Sadly, this is pretty standard practice and has been since long before this school showed up.
Considering that many long time expats have been having a very difficult time getting their tourist visas renewed, this school must be paying bribes somewhere along the line to be renewing the tourist visas.
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justcolleen
Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 654 Location: Egypt, baby!
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome in Egypt! |
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Mennomania
Joined: 17 Dec 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:21 am Post subject: |
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Your presumption, veiledsentiments, must certainly be correct!
How is it possible for one of Heritage's school clerks to take a huge stack of Canadian passports to Immigration, only to pick up same with adhered tourist visas the following day?
So far this academic year (to 20 December), Heritage has lost eight teachers: Grade 1, Grade 5, Grade 6, French, Social Studies, Phys Ed, Art, ESL. No doubt that shyster recruiter in Winnipeg is raking it in! |
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globebot
Joined: 20 Sep 2013 Posts: 76
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:21 am Post subject: |
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This is really interesting, pertinent and valuable information. What I want to know are the teaching conditions. Is it like the website says, or is it a madhouse like the rest of the ME? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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It's a different madhouse in Egypt... without the glitz, modernity, dependable electricity and/or water supplies of the Gulf.
This poster hasn't put up anything else for nine months, so s/he may not be around to update you.
VS |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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If you want to live and work in a Madhouse, go to one where they pay you well ! |
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