Job Discussion Forums

disregardedknowledge · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 63

I noticed an ad for RAFO English Instructors. There is a contact name but not email. Can someone provide me with an email for applying to RAFO? Feel free to pm. Thank you.

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

I don't know the email for RAFO, but here is the snal mail address for the people you need to contact.

Directorate of Education and Military Culture
H.Q. RAFO
P. O. Box 722
CPO. Seeb 111
Sultanate of Oman.

Their fax number is 00 968 24616245.

But don't hold your breath. RAFO currently has no Director of Education and Military Culture - the last one is either on pre-retirement leave or he has actually retired. At any rate, there is nobody in the office, so there is nobody to make the final decision about hiring.

RAFO are, however, pretty desperate. The last SO2 Education - a Brit who finally left in thev early summer of 2009 - managed to introduce a refy of new regulations that reduces the chance of anyone with much experience ever getting a job. The pay and conditions do not compare well with other places and RAFO was recently described to me as an "entry level" organisation in EFL.

7168Riyadh · Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 149

They are interviewing right now in London (and 25th April in Oman). The pay is only �1700 per month (with increments after one year-so what?!). Not bad perhaps for the average TEFLer. Anyone with an advanced degree, or significant experience, is not going to be interested though, which they must surely understand, and what does that tell you about their aspirations? I get the impression that if you turn up to the interview, you'll get a job--they need at least 14 warm bodies.

indisputable_top_cat · Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 20 Location: Salalah, Oman

I was there many moons ago and they were paying about the same then. If you have the Masters try SQU.

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

This is actually very sad.

In the 1980s and 1990s working for RAFO was very good. There were some excellent people there, fully committed to improving the quality of the courses they delivered, and deeply involved in professional development.

In the last decade, it has gone steadily downhill. The latest nail in the coffin is that the Exchange Rate Supplement has ceased to have any relevance. The dollar is now so much stronger against the pound that fixing the rate at 0.580 baisas to the pound no longer has any merit.

One more selling point lost.