Job Discussion Forums

mortman · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 9

Hi,

I am a qualified history teacher. I noticed in my local paper as well as on a couple of the job boards in Oz a call for history teachers for government schools in Brunei.

It sounds very much like Cbft recruitment - which I would be more than happy with as I am currently in the process of getting formal English certification. I spoke with one recruitment agency a while ago who stated that the Brunei govt won't employ anyone but experienced and certified English teachers.

Anyone got any ideas on what that actual story is? Is the Brunei govt looking for history teachers ah la the Singapore system of foreign subject teachers in government schools?

It sounds like a great opportunity but there is too much paperwork involved if it is going to be a bust from the outset!

celtica · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 137

Sounds interesting.... I have not heard anything through the rumour mill.

Who do you contact to start the process?

CfBT advertise themselves pretty well so if their name doesn't appear on any of the ads ...not sure it would be them.

Nothing in the most recent CfBT newsletter either.

BTW why would it be a 'bust from the outset' ?

mortman · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 9

'Bust from the outset' = I thought cbft won't hire anyone without English quals and three years experience as the Brunei government are (rightly) incredibly strict on who they hire.

I suspect the first recruitment consultant who had been dealing with Cbft for a long time is aware of this. It is the first time I have seen this other recruitment agency advertise for Brunei. Maybe they are not quite as experienced.

I have seven years as a history and geography teacher, but do not yet have the all important english qualifications. Do Cbft hire humanaties teachers?

gajackson1 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 210

lol - here I go again!

Mort, I can't say anything about CfBT and specifically about a History teacher/humanities recruitment. My only suggestion there is to contact the current recruiter directly - that info is easy enough to grab from the regular CfBT website.

However, I can tell you that the bigger/private (non CfBT) schools do hire teachers by subject (as well as JIS, Yayasan). For example, ISB (http://www.isb.edu.bn/) has just updated their postings - and there is a pretty good/exciting opportunity as a Geography teacher/Head of Department. May want to look into it - if you are qualified (my secondary field is Govt., myself), it might be something, if you are willing to look past CfBT postings/positions.

Somewhere else here (another thread) I posted a semi-comprehensive list of school/employment websites & contacts. For Brunei, I can't see any good reason to use a 'general' recruiter??? CfBT is most of the teaching jobs, period, and the others are very easy to get a hold of.

I wish you the best of luck! Keep us updated - it seems the policies/standards are changing all the time.

Glen

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

Hi

The job advertised would not have been with CfBT as they only recruit for English....it is probably direct contract with the government - they offer good salary and conditions, but processing can tale a long time. if you don't need an immediate job, go for it!

JS

mortman · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 9

I'm in no hurry and have a family to take as well, so the longer the better (within reason).

Is the pay scale similar to Cbft?

I have a wife and a small child (non-school aged) to bring so salary is always a big factor and usually with these things, not discussed until the very end!

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

If it is indeed the Government post (doesn't it say on the ad?) then the overall package will be similar to CfBT overall - monthly salary is a bit lower, but benefits and gratuity are higher. There are several Westerners over here teaching History - one I know has been here for 15 years so she must like it!

mortman · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 9

No the ad is very vague re duties and actual packaged salary (see below) which is why I am asking all these annoying questions!

Package
Free Accommodation
Paid Return Airfares
Baggage Allowance
Annual Flight Allowances
Allowances for Children�s Private Education in a Private School in Brunei
Interest Free Care Loan
Subsidised Private Health Insurance
Settling in Allowance B$500-B$1,500
Tax Free Salary
Salary range is between B$42,000-B$77,000) plus bonuses.

gajackson1 · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 210

Uh-oh -

That triggers an alarm bell - it may be nothing, but there have been recent rounds of identity-theft postings going up for English teaching jobs. Some of them are just quick cash scams; others seem to be focused on getting the potential 'recruit' to release their original documents for 'processing.'

I mention this because someone sent me info about an offer in Dubai that sounded almost exactly like the 'English teaching village jobs in Korea' - I was surprised! The more I read, I thought someone must have taken the idea.

Nope - what someone had done was taken a Korean ad posting (legit) and re-tailored it to their own purposes.

If you look in the threads in Dubai, I think there is a sticky link about it as well. Be very careful about the e-mail address/domain you are sending stuff along to.

I am not saying this is what is happening in your case; I DO know that similar ones are making the rounds, and people who have no idea are falling for the lure.

Respectfully,

Glen

ah-ha - found the related thread:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=58448

I think that because Brunei is attractive, and the CfBT and similar packages are really exceptional, it shouldn't be a surprise that they are being adapted, if that is indeed the case. Fair warning!

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

Hi

Can you tell us who the application is to go to ? I would recognise both the CfBT and the Government contact address...let me know via a pm if you prefer...

JS

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

Hi again,

Ignore my last post as I just came across an ad for History teachers in Brunei on the net. Wonder if it is the same one...it certainly sounds like it, as the list of benefits is the same, complete with spelling error on the word 'car!'
It does sound fishy - maybe Glen is right. It is, I think, an ad in North America - if so, very odd as we know that Brunei does not take US teachers. At the end it says that to apply you must have Australian or NZ work permits - also very odd. Are they saying that if you are an American with an Aus/Nz work permit you will be eligible to teach in Brunei?

Brunei does accept applications from Australian and NZ teachers, but it is nor so much their nationality which is important, as their place of education - degrees, teacher training etc.

If I were you, I would definitely not send off anything to these people, but rather give them a call on the number in their ad....see what they say when you bring up the above points....

All very strange I must say...also, the direct contract teachers have always in the past been hired through ads in the TES, which gave the contact as the Ministry of Education in Brunei...

mortman · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 9

Spoke with the recruitment consultant yesterday and it all sounds above board, but the process will take quite a while.

The recruitment agency, it is very repuatable here in Oz and is contracted to the government in Brunei to supply all kinds of subject teachers. Apparently it is a new contract and they are looking to send their first round of teachers in early 2009.

My quals are from a large university in Australia which has an excellent rep internationally so I am not too concerned.

Anything else I should think about? Apparently my CV will be sent to the MOE and they will decide if they want to interview me. Has anyone had an MOE interview?

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

Oh well, sounds all fine then. Go for it! Good luck!

lacsap · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 38 Location: South East Asia

Definitely WON"T be the MoE as it says they offer "Subsidised Private Health Insurance" . Teachers hired by the MoE directly, of which there have been just about zero in the past few years, get free access to government health care. It's not a private system. I can only surmise that it is one of or both of the International Schools. But again, that doesn't seem right, because they don't give annual allowances for your kids in school, they just give free places to up to three kids at the school. The conditions look much like those offered by CFBT, but they only take on English teachers, unless something has changed recently. Mysterious.

jsteventon · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 191

The recruiters are a reputable company in Australia and they say that their 'client' is the Ministry of Education. No reason to doubt them. Presumably the MoE is making changes - the subjects all fit into requirements for the new curriculum which will come into being very soon.

By the way, I know teachers who are on direct contract to the MoE and are doing fine - been in Brunei many years. Quite a few friends have just renewed again after 15 years so can't be that bad!

However, as I said before, any application sent directly to the MoE will take a long time to process....best to go through a recruitment company. The Oz one will be accepting more applications in March it seems....CfBT recruitment is ongoing for English teachers...

JS