Job Discussion Forums

[chanchanhae]

Please help here ! Is this a scam????
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EFL/ESL/EAP Lecturer/Instructor - Cameroon
________________________________________
UNIVERSITY OF BUEA
South West Region
Republic of Cameroon
(+237) 3302 6013
Fax: (+237) 3336 1325
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ubuea.net
www.astibuea.co.cc

EFL/ESL/EAP Lecturer/Instructor Positions: 6 Months Internship contracts
APPLICANTS MUST BE MALE OR FEMALE WITH ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, HAVE A BASIC DEGREE FROM AN ANGLOPHONE UNIVERSITY AND AN INTERNATIONALLY - RECOGNIZED TEFL/TESL QUALIFICATION.
We are interested in recruiting well-qualified, committed and experienced teachers of EFL/ESL/EAP to teach:
In either the Preparatory English program (PEP), a foundation year preparing students for entry to undergraduate studies;
or, in the English Language Department (ELD) teaching undergraduate students.
The PEP is part of the Preparatory Year Program (PYP), preparing male students for English - medium studies leading to a B.S. degree in science, engineering or industrial management. The PEP consists of two 20 � hour � per - week pre-university intensive courses in general and academic English. The courses take a communicative/interactive task-based approach to language learning and focus on the development of functional English in the four areas of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.
The ELD teaches a three-course program of undergraduate writing and communication skills (ENGL101, 102 and 214) from freshman to senior level. It is a service department for all the colleges.
The PEP currently employs a total faculty of 88 native (born) speakers of English (USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) and the ELD has a faculty numbering 23.

Instructors/lecturers are hired for the beginning of the academic year (Oct 1st).
QUALIFICATIONS
For the PEP and ELD an MA in TEFL/TESOL or Applied Linguistics, a one - year postgraduate diploma in TEFL/TESL from an accredited university, or an RSA/UCLES DELTA is preferred. More basic postgraduate qualifications in TESOL (CELTA, Cert TEFLA or equivalent, � but not by distance - learning) can also be considered for candidates with particularly appropriate experience.
EXPERIENCE
With an MA in TEFL/TESOL or Applied Linguistics, at least two years� full-time teaching of EFL/EAP overseas is required. With more basic postgraduate qualifications, further experience is expected.
Those interested in teaching in the ELD should have prior experience in teaching academic reading and writing.
COMPENSATION
SALARIES are competitive depending on qualifications and experience and range from a yearly salary of (US$52,800 to 76,100) per annum (inclusive of US$3100 transport allowance and Cost of Living allowance �currently 10% and rising to 15% in January 2010).
All compensation is tax-free.
SERVICE INCREMENT: Contracts are for 6 months internship. When renewing the contract, instructors get an annual increase in base salary depending on their performance.
END � OF - SERVICE GRATUITY: After between two and five years of employment, the employee will be paid an amount equal to half a month's salary for each year of service. With five or more years of service, the gratuity is calculated on the basis of a month's salary for each year of service.
ADDITIONAL REMUNERATION: UB also offers an Evening Language Program and short courses to various ministries and private concerns. These courses are taught by PEP and ELD faculty members who are interested in augmenting their salary. Instructors/lecturers who wish to teach the PEP or ELD course during the summer session (which is eight weeks long) are paid two months� additional salary. There are also opportunities to earn additional income on short courses (four to six weeks) during the summer.
WORKING CONDITIONS
WORKING HOURS: The working week (40 hours) is from Saturday to Wednesday. PEP instructors and lecturers have to teach 20 contact hours a week, attend 5 office hours a week and participate in some administrative duties. PEP instructors teach either early shift (08:00 � 09:50 and 13:10 � 15:00) or late shift (10:00 � 11:50 and 15:20 � 17:10). Occasionally, they may have to substitute, on a rota basis, for an absent colleague.
The ELD teaches 12 contact hours and 5 tutorial hours per week with classes on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.
UNIVERSITY YEAR: The academic calendar, as set by the Ministry of Higher Education, consists of two semesters: Fall and Spring. Each consists of 15 weeks of teaching followed by 2 weeks allocated for final examinations.
BENEFITS
HOUSING: Every employee, single or with family, is provided, rent-free, with his own fully-furnished (bachelor/family) housing unit on campus. Services, including air conditioning, gas, electricity, cable TV and water, are free, as is maintenance. Each apartment has its own telephone. Local phone calls are free.
VACATION:
Faculty leave is determined by the academic calendar and instructors are generally free between semesters and during the summer, unless they decide to teach the Summer session. In the current academic year, the Spring semester began on 28th February, 2009, and ends on 27th June. The summer session, which is optional and paid for, begins on 11th July and ends on 3rd September, 2009. The 2009/10 academic year will begin on 26th September, 2009. New faculty have to report by 1st September.
There are also two holidays for the whole country: National Day (May 2009 ) and Youth Day (February 2009) as well as an inter-semester break between the first and second semester (18 days and a short mid-semester break (8/9days) in the second semester. During all these paid holidays, those who want to leave the country may do so. It is possible, and with multiple visas, now easier, to take weekend breaks to neighboring countries. Gabon is less than an hour away by road.
AIR TICKETS: Annual round-trip air tickets to the point of origin will be provided for the employee, his wife, and up to two children up to the age of 18.
HEALTH CARE: The employee and members of his family are provided with free medical and dental care at the UB Clinic.
CHILDREN�S EDUCATION: The University pays a total sum of $5000 per year per family towards local education expenses. There are a number of highly - rated international schools in the area including American Academy, � with both American and British streams, � and The British School (UK curriculum).
TRANSPORT: Free on - campus buses for employees and their families; school buses to local international schools; regular thrice-weekly shopping buses to Douala and Yaounde.
E-MAIL AND INTERNET: All employees and their families have free access to e-mail and internet facilities both at work and at home.
SHOPS ON CAMPUS: Bank; Post office; Stationer�s; Dry cleaning; take-away restaurant; Supermarket; Petrol station; Vehicle workshop; Vehicle insurance broker; Hairdresser (male and female); Cameroon Airlines.
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES: The Community Center, which is for faculty members and their dependants, is the main area for recreation on - campus. It has two swimming pools (men�s and women�s), a snack bar, function rooms, a library, tennis courts, squash courts, a bowling alley, basketball and volleyball courts, a fully -equipped exercise room, etc. Employees can also use the university gymnasium, stadium, swimming pools and faculty restaurant.

OFF - CAMPUS, the university has its own beach (separate areas for students and university personnel) with changing facilities, shaded picnic shelters, barbecue facilities and a snack bar that is open at weekends.
INFORMATION
For information on the PEP visit our website http://www.ubuea.net/
For further information on the University (such as History and Organization; Campus Life; Visitor Information; Location and Climate; Recreation), go to http://www.ubuea.net and browse under these headings.
APPLICATION
If you are interested in applying to UB and meet our requirements, send an e-mail to [email protected] . Attach your CV/resume giving details of qualifications, teaching and other experience, Also include dob and nationality at birth.
Interviews for September 2009 will be conducted by video-conference.

[eclectic]

there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is a scam.

[grahamb]

The surest way to find out if it's a scam is to apply. If they ask for your bank details or request payment of a "processing" or admin fee, back off immediately.

[kaw]

Interestingly, a quick search does show the university is a real place and not just a figment of someone's imagination.
The website itself is rather bare which did make me a tad suspicious but then followed up on the Ministry of Higher Education site and there it was.
From the French I've forgotten, it seems as if it's been around since 1992.

It might be genuine after all.

[chanchanhae]

[jdl]

Chanchanhae,
I too checked with a Western Embassy...hopefully not the same one and they indicated that the posting may be legit. I followed it up and here is the good news/bad news of it.

Good news: It is legit
Bad news: There were only two jobs which my wife and I quickly snatched up.

Our first class return airfare has been booked and prepaid for ourselves, our 4 children, both sets of Grandparents and two dogs.


Amazing! Wish us luck!

[chanchanhae]

[Chancellor]

"APPLICANTS MUST BE MALE OR FEMALE"

What else would they be?

[jdl]

Actually a friend of mine checked with the embassy......I hope he did his homework. All we had to do was provide a visa (credit card) number. Good deal don't you think?

Oh, thanks for the letter of recommendation...the flowers were a nice touch. I will put a good word in for you!

[Zajko]

The strange phrase 'applicants must be male or female' is included because this entire advert is a direct paste & copy of a job advertised at KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, on another website. The 'or female' has been written in (the original Saudi job stated 'applicants must be male') - presumably so as not to unnecessarily reduce the number of potential victims here by 50% - and the sentence 'Bahrain is only an hour away by road' has been thoughtfully altered to 'Gabon is only an hour away by road'.

As I think someone else said: go figure.

[wpshark]

Beware, this scam is circulating in various guises. The common thread is the "[email protected]". The phone number is sometimes given as 07 something and Dr Terry Newman is the guy.

[melsabee]

This is for sure a scam. I went through to the contract stage at which point they asked me (for immigration purposes) to pay for 6 months of housing. They offered me the position without as much as a phone interview. Such a waste of time!