Job Discussion Forums

[john2005]

A warning for TEFL teachers out there to keep away from this institute as its probably the worst place to work in KSA. Pay is low, late, and the dealing is ridiculous. Once they have your passport, they'll treat you like you're their slave.

They have nine months contract and not the normal one year, this way they save the end of year gratuity pay (half a months salary paid at the end of the year by law in KSA). They'll make you work thursdays even if this means just sitting around doing nothing, if you ask why, they'll say it's in your contract. They'll make your life hell when it comes to paying on time especially when you finish your contract. Once you finish your contract, you'll have to travel to their Head Office in Khobar, where you'll have to beg them to pay you your dues. They won't give you the letter of no objection unless you complain about them to English First directly.

I can't advice strongly enough against working for this employer, speaking from one of the worst experiences of my life (yes, i did work for them, unfortunately). You've been warned.

[veiledsentiments]

Wait a minute... I thought you said that you were working for some other bad employer in your other thread??

[john2005]

I have worked for both English First/Arab Development Institute and European Center/Al Rajhi for Human Resources and Development.

Unfortunately for me, they both turned out to be bad employers and I thought I should warn others of these and what they're about. This way, at least, the TEFL teachers would go to good employers out there and these institutes will have to change their working ethics to recruit teachers in future. My intention behind writing these posts is nothing personal, I just want these employers to become more professional.

If anyone has any doubts about what i wrote, then i suggest they go to these institutes in person (if they're in KSA) and just speak to their teaching staff and then make an informed decision whether they want to join them or not. All will become clear as nothing has changed since I left. For those who are not in KSA and are therefore unable to check them out, I guess they can only rely on forums like these and then make up their mind.

The worst part of working for employers like these is the mental torture they put you through. I wouldn't want anyone to go through that experience, thus these postings. Whether one takes the advice or not, its his/her own decision. But it makes sense to make an informed decision and benefit from others experience. Good luck.