Job Discussion Forums

[boundforsaudi]

I've an MA and I'm considering one of the lecturer jobs at the teacher's colleges in Sur, Salalah, Nizwa, Ibri, Sohar, or Rustaq. If they gave me a choice, which should I pick? Can you buy beer in the supermarkets in these places? What's the rent on a bachelor's apartment? Utilities? Internet? Do you have to sign a year's lease? Anybody that already has this gig and would not mind giving me the lowdown, please send me a PM.

[veiledsentiments]

Alcohol is a controlled substance. You have to get a license from the government and you are then allowed to purchase it in the very discreet government stores. NOT in a supermarket... I lived in Muscat and never bothered to get a license, so I don't know about the availability in the hinterlands.

I actually doubt that you have much input as to where you will be placed. Rents would depend. Don't they offer housing as part of the package?? With an MA, you should be getting over 1000 OR if they do not pay the housing...

VS

[boundforsaudi]

Yeah, about 1100, but no housing. So I'm wondering: Maybe I only want to do the one year, taking my 60 days vacation at the end, so I'd really only be staying 10 months. What a hassle with the housing! I'm guessing I'd have to sign a year's lease, so I'd be paying for two months I wasn't there. And leaving in the early summer in a must-sell-immediately situation, I guess I'd take a big loss on the furniture and car. And what about the vacation pay? Would they give me that before I left? If not, I'm supposed to trust them to send it to me?

I've heard about the liquor license. Anybody know what the monthly allotment is?

Do lecturers in these teacher's colleges get their own office? With internet/computer? Broadband? To use after hours? Thanks in advance.

I'm hoping this is direct hire by the Ministry of Education, but the contact guy has his office in a commercial office building and there's no PhD beside his name. Anybody know whether he's actually a contractor of some kind?

[veiledsentiments]

To be honest, to be financially feasible, you need to do a couple of years.

I've never heard anyone complain that they weren't allotted enough on the booze license. It is based on your salary and you would be at the high end. If you are the type that kills a fifth a day... you might run out.

I don't know anyone below top management who ever got their own office in most of the Gulf, so I'd plan to share.. perhaps even the computer. I 'think' everywhere with a college has internet, but I wouldn't plan on broadband.

Why don't you ask this contact guy if he is an agent? request a copy of the contract?

VS

[zakiah25]

Your contract guy should be able to point you in the right direction to the place where you get the liquor licence -plus the required paperwork.There used to be a liquor outlet in Ruwi and another located at Al Khuwair - both in Muscat, the capital.
You can buy alcoholic drinks in the large chain hotels in bars but they're usually more expensive than what you might expect.The liquor outlets that I mentioned are fairly reasonably priced - they usually stock a good range of beers. Wines can be a little expensive however.Bottles of spirits are reasonably priced with all well known brands plus various Indian varieties.
Once again, you might need to get exact directions to the liquor outlets as they don't advertise themselves and are usually located in rather plain buildings.
As VS mentioned, the monthly allocation accorded to your booze licence should be adequate unless you're an exceptionally heavy drinker or give lots of parties!
If you're posted to one of the country towns, then it's a good idea to stock up in Muscat.

[kaw]

The contact guy mentioned is - well I shan't say it here but feel free to p.m me for info about him. Hopefully as he's been employed by the Ministry things may be ok but who knows.

You do realise that if you only stay a year you may have some problems in being allowed to work elsewhere in the Sultanate.......

As far as the beer question goes - as has been said several times already there are 'booze shops' in Muscat that sell a pretty wide variety. You have to take a load of paperwork to the police station in Ruwi and go from there. It's not a great hardship though. Am pretty sure thre's also a 'booze shop' in Sohar as well but as for eslewhere - sorry.....

[Borealis]

[quote="kaw"] "The contact guy mentioned is - well I shan't say it here but feel free to p.m me for info about him. Hopefully as he's been employed by the Ministry things may be ok but who knows."

Although the Ministry of Higher Education has a good reputation in Oman, it is better to be employed by them directly and not through an agent. In particular be very wary about accepting MOHE jobs, or any other jobs, through the recruiting agent with the title of �CEO� whose �office has a hotel address�. This is the same so-called �CEO� who caused such havoc at Sur University College and who went on to create the same sort of havoc at Hawthorn Muscat where he was also �CEO�. The same company owns SUC and Hawthorn as well as hotels and travel agencies.

When I was teaching at Hawthorn until last year there were five of us there who were contracted teachers. All were well-qualified and experienced. One had a Master�s degree, one was completing a Master�s and one has since begun a Master�s. Three had the DELTA. We all had on-going contractual issues which were never resolved during our one year there. We had thought the school would be a safe, professional place to work as it came under the umbrella of Melbourne University Private. However, the school was merely a franchise and MUP had little control. Due to the concerns of the teachers the Quality Controller from MUP drew up an improved draft contract spelling out the �hidden extras� such as no release letters. As MUP have since become defunct, presumably such a contract has no validity, if indeed it was ever implemented.

One of the aforementioned five teachers paid her own return airfare after the �CEO� had promised it would be reimbursed. The cost of the single fare from her country of origin to Muscat was reimbursed but she found out only a few weeks before the end of her contract that the �CEO� had informed the Board in writing that she had agreed not to claim her return airfare. Repeated requests from her to the Board to guarantee that the fare would be reimbursed were ignored. Finally she was informed it would not be paid. This was conveyed to her in a letter from the �CEO� who made sure he was out of the country before she was given the letter. She asked the accountant to pay her last month�s salary and holiday pay a week before she left Oman. He agreed to do this but on the day it was due he �discovered� he did not have a cheque signed by the sheik who owns the school. Only when she threatened to withhold her end-of-course reports from her Ministry of Higher Education sponsored students and to e-mail the students and the Ministry to explain why, did he �remember� he could have the cash sent round that evening.

Another teacher, fed up with the on-going �mickey-mouseness�, found a better job in the UAE and, being a true professional, gave the required notice. The accountant threatened not only to withhold her final month�s salary, he told her he had listed her as an absconder and if she attempted to leave the country on her planned holiday he would have her arrested. She had the good sense to go to the British Embassy who informed him otherwise. However, her final month�s salary was not paid to her until she was actually at the check-in counter at the airport. At least she did get all her money, unlike a previous teacher who finished her two-year contract (one year with SUC and one year with Hawthorn) and the day before she was due to fly back to her country found out her promised overtime had not been paid.

A third teacher was sub-contracted to RAFO by Hawthorn, which took a large commission. He and a fourth teacher from Hawthorn were offered jobs at RAFO (much better conditions and salaries) at the end of their contract with Hawthorn but were unable to accept the jobs because the sheik refused to give them release letters. They loved Muscat and had planned on staying in Oman for several years, but after such shoddy treatment they left the country, and once again the Omani students missed out on excellent teachers.

A new teacher arrived at Hawthorn, stayed twenty four hours, learned a few home truths, and flew back to his own country with the return ticket that the company had forgotten to take off him. Another new teacher stayed a month before finding and accepting a better job in another country and sensibly leaving quietly the day after she was paid.

Far from learning from the results of their poor people management skills and making an effort to retain good teachers, the company does not care if teachers do not renew their contracts as another unsuspecting bunch - qualified or unqualified - will always be found to fill the gaps. Because of the many complaints from staff the �CEO� was eventually removed from his office at Hawthorn but he was retained by the company and continues to act as a recruiting agent.

Oman is a beautiful, fascinating country and Omani students are, on the whole, very pleasant to teach. It is vital, however, to be very careful about the school you sign on with and to take heed of warnings about staying clear of individuals such as this �CEO�.

[boundforsaudi]

I'm headed to Oman in few days. Anybody know what would happen if I tried bringing along beer-making paraphenalia? Do you have to get a home-brewing license?

[veiledsentiments]

Home brewing license? I presume that you were joking. As long as you produce in small quantities and don't sell it, there shouldn't be a problem. Mix up the paraphernalia is different boxes. Can you pass it off as kitchen equipment if they ask? Not really familiar with this stuff...

VS

[spicegirl]

Not sure why you would want to do home brew .... is it a hobby? Or maybe you're headed to the interior where you can't get booze without a trip to Muscat.

Home brewing licence? This is a wind-up, right?

[Russell Hadd]

Home Brew Licences are very difficult to get hold of but I can help here. Next time I'm over in November I'll sort you out with one for RO150 - I'll even prepare all the paperwork and go to the police with the cash on your behalf.

[boundforsaudi]

Now that's a wind up.

[veiledsentiments]

I'd say you're right...