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Griff-James 2
Joined: 11 Jan 2010
Posts: 12
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 Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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Who am I kidding.
When I was there, I initially worked hard preparing lesson plans work sheets etc.
In the end, it was just a personality game and they didn't care much about what went on in the classroom provided they had good grades.
It didn't matter what you did.
Why am I writing this impassioned defence of good prac.
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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I am curious about developments in the Bell-Obeikan-KSU set-up. I have heard rumours that KSU is not happy with the way things are and want to renege on the deal. And then, I have heard rumours that the operation is a success and may be seen as the model for other universities in KSA.
Comments from the inside ? Or outside ? Or anywhere ? |
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7168Riyadh
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 149
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
I am curious about developments in the Bell-Obeikan-KSU set-up. I have heard rumours that KSU is not happy with the way things are and want to renege on the deal. And then, I have heard rumours that the operation is a success and may be seen as the model for other universities in KSA.
Comments from the inside ? Or outside ? Or anywhere ? |
Who, or what, constitutes "KSU"? We (the teachers) have almost nothing to do with the university and can't possibly say what is going to happen next. It's all guesswork and speculation/rumour.
However, I can let you know the following tidbits:
- We are now, at the end of the semester, fully staffed. A whole bunch of new teachers turned up, including many from the US on--Yikes!!--business visas.
- Last exam was (another) screw up. Had to be re-marked. Missing papers etc. "KSU" not happy. Lots of nervousness about upcoming test, especially as "KSU" have taken overall control.
- The much-vaunted "Self-Learning" (eh? wots that?) component of the programme turns into a joke as we are basically told to give the students higher marks than they deserve.
- A high-ranking prince visited the other day, necessitating the immediate emptying of the building--he can come back anytime!
Read in into these bits what you will. In my view, it's all shot to pieces. This programme will have a massive turnover of teachers as it goes forward. I have mixed feelings about Bell: they sort of protect us and torture us by turn. My guess is that they will be pushed out by the university sooner or later--I heard that the contract for next year has not been confirmed. This doesn't mean anything of course. Probably "KSU" want to keep their options open. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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Kalima Shahada
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Posts: 198
Location: I live in a house, but my home is in the stable.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| 7168Riyadh wrote: |
- We are now, at the end of the semester, fully staffed. A whole bunch of new teachers turned up, including many from the US on--Yikes!!--business visas. |
BUSINESS VISAS!!! NO, that's illegal! These teachers have precisely ZERO legal rights now and for that reason alone it opens them up to MUCH more abuse than someone working on a proper working visa! Just ask all the veterans on here with thousands of posts.
Is there any university out there now which doesn't or hasn't used these illegal visas? A new trend indeed! Get ready! |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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| My employer does not bring in people on these dubious "Visitor" or "business" visa. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Kalima Shahada,
"Is there any university out there now which doesn't or hasn't used these illegal visas?"
Only the ones where there's at least a reasonable chance that your job there won't be insufferable.
Having a legal visa is, of course, no absolute guarantee that you will be able to tolerate your employment.
Having an illegal visa is, of course, no absolute guarantee that you will find your employment intolerable.
It's just that the odds are MUCH more likely that will be the case.
Legal is better than illegal - seems evident, doesn't it? But some people just don't get it.
Regards,
John |
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Kalima Shahada
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Posts: 198
Location: I live in a house, but my home is in the stable.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| My employer does not bring in people on these dubious "Visitor" or "business" visa. |
Yes, but when the word gets out that all of the government universities are doing it (especially ones as big as KSU) and getting away with it scott-free, then it stands to reason that the rest of the employers will follow the leaders. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Kalima Shahada,
"Scott-free" - how appropriate.
" . . . then it stands to reason that the rest of the employers will follow the leaders."
Not, I'd say, if, as seems to be the case, such a policy tends to result in chaos, high staff turnover, continual disruption and, in the long run, added expense.
Regards,
John |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| I see no signs of my employer taking this path. As I have said many times on this forum - choose your master with care. And avoid Drapetomania ! |
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Kalima Shahada
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Posts: 198
Location: I live in a house, but my home is in the stable.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear Kalima Shahada,
" . . . then it stands to reason that the rest of the employers will follow the leaders."
Not, I'd say, if, as seems to be the case, such a policy tends to result in chaos, high staff turnover, continual disruption and, in the long run, added expense. |
And what if it doesn't? What if it simply makes the visa process much easier and less expensive for both parties? And what if it creates a situation where the employers need to honor their contractual promises or teachers just pack up and leave? In a situation where the visa expires every 90 days... think about it. But if you are on a yearly contract where the employer can prevent you from leaving the country, it leaves you in a trapped situation with nothing other than a proper legal but empty feeling with no legal entity to help you should the employer fail to pay, etc. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Kalima Shahada,
Well, we'll have to wait and see, I suppose. But from what I've been reading on these boards, the illegal visa process seems to have resulted in chaos, very unhappy employees, and disruption.
So, this:
"And what if it creates a situation where the employers need to honor their contractual promises or teachers just pack up and leave? In a situation where the visa expires every 90 days... think about it."
would, I'd say, be far more likely to result in an abandonment of the process than it would be to lead to such employers honoring their contractual promises.
Regards,
John |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| But if you are on a yearly contract where the employer can prevent you from leaving the country, |
Can you provide names of employers who make a practice of denying exit-reentry visas to teachers who request them?
I've had four employers in the Kingdom. All of them have had their good and bad points, like employers everywhere, but none of them denied visas to teachers who asked for them. In fact, all but one freely issued multiple exit visas on request.
As scot says, rule no. 1 of success in KSA is to choose your employer with care. That automatically excludes those employers who can't/won't get you a proper visa. But it does not automatically mean that those who will get you such a visa are neccessarily good employers. As we have of course been saying for months now. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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I too have had 4 employers in KSA. Even the dodgy one, a contractor who supplied teachers, engineers and cleaners to Petromin, provided visas and exit visas with a minimum of hassle.
The other three employers have been Ministries or Parastatal Bodies and provided good working conditions. The one I am with now is the only one that has provided me with a multiple exit/re-entry.
The business about surrendering the passport does not bother me, although I understand some "Gringos" get very hot and bothered about it. |
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doner
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Posts: 179
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| Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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parastatal??????
KFUPM has to provide multis when you consider the low pay. |
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