Job Discussion Forums

[Latteegirl1974]

Does anyone know if the non western schools in KSA are decent? I thought about sending my daughter because I want her to learn Arabic and Islam. How do I find a good school? Do they brainwash the kids with Wahabism, or beat them? Are these schools expensive? Any information will be helpful. I am looking to go to Riyadh or Khobar. Thanks -LG

P.S. What are the apartments like in the DQ of Riyadh? We are a family of 4, will they put us in a Villa or high rise? How old are te apartments?

[Cleopatra]

[scot47]

Like Cleo ,I am a bit puzzled. Who are you coming to work for ?

If you are in Khobar have a look at ISG Dammam

http://www.isgdh.org/

[007]

[scot47]

Generally speaking state schools are not for foreigners. Private it will be.

[Latteegirl1974]

I have an offer fom Interlink/Alyamamah college. I am not sure if I will take it because I Feel uncertain due to the previous posts.
Yes we are Muslim, And Interlink says they have an educational allowance of 8000 SR for grades 1-12 but not prek and K. My children just finished a year at an American Muslim school here in the US. They liked it. I just don't have the money yet to buy her an education. I feel , because I'm a teacher and Education is everything!

Sorry for the lack of Info. I just need to be cautious before I make final decisions.

Thanks everybody

[Latteegirl1974]

I forgot, I may accept a job offer for Aramco teaching kids. So If you have any Info on that company, please let me know.

[Cleopatra]

Al Yamamah housing consists of two-bedroom apartments on the DQ. No villas.

[scot47]

If you have the choice, go for Aramco.

[trapezius]

When you meet your students in Saudi, you will immediately realize that you would never put your kids in their educational system!

But if you insist:

Public schools are out, as they are only for Saudis, and they produce substandard humans, in terms of manners, behaviour, knowledge, intelligence, desire for learning, cleanliness, appreciation of hard work, etc.

Private Saudi schools are pretty expensive usually. Anyway, it is nearly 100% Saudi in those, and so, your daughter would be a mismatch there. How old is she? All the subjects are taught in Arabic, even in Saudi private schools, by law. Some of them used to teach Math and the sciences in English, but the concerned ministry forced them to change to Arabic. They still try to teach those subjects in a mix of English and Arabic, but it is basically in Arabic.

Aside from the Western run British and American schools in the country, there are hundreds of "international schools". These are Arab and/or Asian managed, with a mix of Arab and Asian kids. Some are Philipino curriculum, some Indian curriculum, but most are either British or American curriculum. All schools in the country are required to have Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Saudi Arabialogy. Non-Arabs are exempt from Arabic, non-Muslims from Islamic Studies, and everybody has to take the last one.

This last category is where a lot of middle class expats prefer to send their kids. Being Arab/Asian managed, and having Arab/Asian teachers, they are about 1/3 the cost of Western-managed British/American schools. Of course, they have the same curricula as their Western-managed counterparts.

The ball is in your court!

[007]

[Latteegirl1974]

007 how can a famiy get an allowance from a public school?...Are you sure, this dosen't sound correct.

[trapezius]

[scot47]

8,000 Saudi Riyals education allowance ? The leading school in Dhahran charges 47,000 a year. Even a 'cheap one' will be 12,000 a year.

Do you think they are giving you a message ?

[scot47]

From today's 'Arab News'

www.taqwaschool.org

n Riyadh.

In Jeddah :-
www.alwahaschool.com