Job Discussion Forums

[7168Riyadh]

For those of you coming out to KSU�watch out. On a previous thread on this forum��KSU revisited��I vaguely recommended working on the King Saud University (male campus) PYP programme on the grounds that the salary was just about okay, and the terms and conditions of employment tolerable. I�m afraid the �bullshit� I alluded to in earlier posts has become rather trying. Teachers are now expected to work office hours. Therefore, if your shift starts at 1.00PM, you should sign in at 9.15AM and hang about until class starts. Morning shift teachers, who are obliged to sign in at 7.30AM, are required to remain at the school until 3.15PM. The teachers raised a petition to protest these onerous working hours, but so far nothing has changed. I�m afraid the university managers are total morons. Ditto Obeikan, Bell�s local partner,�once more slow to get anything done; post facto withholding five days salary from the beginning of September, just so they have [another] lever over teachers. Teachers have been made to work one long day regularly to cover for teacher shortfall. And on this fiasco goes. I don�t want to scare anyone, but I just want to say that this job is no longer worth it and I�m only hanging on because I�m invested for. My advice is to avoid getting involved with Bell/Obeikan�totally dysfunctional/unethical employers who don�t give a damn about the teacher's rights and operate along mindless corporate lines. Contrary to management opinion, everything has gotten worse.

[Pikgitina]

I hear ya 7168Riyadh! There is definitely a point one reaches where the $$$ just doesn't seem as good any longer...

Also, while I don't want to rain on your parade , being required to work office hourse can hardly be regarded as onerous. While a pain in the arse (I'm in the same boat), it definitely gives you the chance to do ALL your prep, marking, copying, etc at work. However, I realise that the shorter hours probably made the otherwise intolerable goings-on tolerable.

Good luck to you!

[Cleopatra]

I have friends who work at Bell/KSU (both male and female sections).

When I chatted to them last academic year, they would tell me that, yeah, KSU gets a bad press and there are some lousy things about working there, but overall it's really not such a bad deal and you get to go home early!

This year, however, the same people have been telling me that there is now little to recommend KSU and they don't intend to sign on with them again. The only positive thing I've heard mentioned is that there's ample opportunity to do overtime and hence save more money. But that's about it.

[saharastars]

Thanks for the update. Its a sad thing to know that the KSA is NOT good option for work, its such a pity. I hope that the powers that be will read thease posts and attempt to sort things out. If these places really want quality staff, they have to develop a good reputation for taking care to treat them with dignity and respect.
People who are attracted to teaching are without doubt highly intelligent and patient (ie salary), it doesnt make sense to antagonise your staff in this way, all that will happen is people will leave, continuity and standards WILL FALL, and recruitment costs will go through the roof!

[Cleopatra]

[Kalima Shahada]

[oops]

[Mia Xanthi]

[Citizenkane]

[scot47]

I think this depends very much on the employer. Some employers do treat teachers very badly. I am fortunate in that my current employers (and SOME I have had in the past) have treated me fairly.