Job Discussion Forums

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

The latest info here is 2009... the just ending academic year. Don't expect anything to have much improved in that small amount of time. That would be a record never achieved that I know of... sadly.

Even if they had hired all new management and/or owners, they wouldn't have any track record yet to gamble on...

VS

bedwiya · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Kuwait

It's still bad - info still valid. Sadly, once schools here in Kuwait go bad they seldom can/desire to turn things around. Really bad if they start out poorly and don't attempt to improve. If they don't infuse the school with cash in the beginning for books, techonology, etc. they most likely never will. Things go downhill and deteriorate here quickly - long term planning unheard of.

Toni_z · Joined: 10 Jul 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Kuwait

Hi, I have updated info, my sister still works at ABS.

let me give you a bit on the school's background.

It opened in 2006, so it had bit of a rough start with few teachers who expected that it would be easy in a new school. So they got a tough administration which required nothing but the best to give the school a good reputation.

For the first 2 years ABS had a huge turn over in staff and students since they were excepting the best of both. They sacked those who weren�t preforming on both sides.

They don�t accept special needs students since they don�t have a program for them.

Their employment webpage is very detailed and clear about the salary, benefits, housing and deposits, which means they are honest in telling you all what you�re expecting.

Starting 2009 things were starting to settle down and things are much better for all, the number of students grew from 450 to 900 and the overseas faculty up to 40.

Living cost in Kuwait is much cheaper than Dubai, Qatar or Bahrain so a salary of 710KD + Housing is good (they provide apartments - rents are about 220KD)

My sister started with them in 2007 and she is happy with her job, if you want to talk to her pm me and I would be more than happy to send you her e-mail.

Best of luck in choosing a school you like!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Starfell · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 138

710 kd is a terrible salary for Kuwait. Most western qualified and nationality holding teachers command a starting salary of at least 850 kd now.

ABS also, I believe but correct me if I'm wrong, expects teachers to work some Saturdays without overtime.

bje · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 527

Toni_z · Joined: 10 Jul 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Kuwait

No one pays more than 720KD for a fresh graduate teacher. I believe 720KD + Housing is very good for a starter, thats what ABS pays for freshers.

My sister�s salary is far more than that, it always depends on experience.

A teacher with more than 10 years of experience gets no less than a 1000kd + housing.

GCC countries used to pay more, but now that there are quite a number of overseas teachers in the gulf the competition is higher and the pay scale has dropped a bit.

Furthermore, no one work on Saturday except the Admin staff from 9-12, teachers are not required to come.

Latcher81 · Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Posts: 1 Location: Kuwait

Hi, I'm new to Dave�s cafe, and I hope that you could help me as well.
I came to Kuwait last year, ABS offered me 750KD but my husband works at Fahaheel so I had to turn the job down and took a Job at the Future Bilingual School for 660KD.
I met few teachers who work at ABS and they seem happy with what they have. The type of work they are doing is similar to here, but it seems they have brighter students since there isn�t much bedoon students and more international students. I started applying to schools closer to Kuwait city since I have a car now. I did few interviews and am waiting for replies from Bayan, Dasman, Canadian Bilingual and American Bilingual. I will let you know the offers I get.

What I need is info about CBS and Dasman, I didn�t get a positive feedback from the teachers who work there.

Toni_z · Joined: 10 Jul 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Kuwait

Hi latcher81,

Did you get any offers?

The schools you asked are good schools except for the Canadian bilingual, i haven't heard anything good about it. Both teachers and parents complain tremendously on the way that school is being run. I recommend not to consider any offer from them.

Dasman is not bad, but sometimes they have some rules made from out of the blue which causes a great deal of problems for teachers. They have a new scrooge director who cuts expenses left and right.

Bayan is one of the best.

ABS is rising fast and is one of the best now. They are the leader when it comes to technology integration.

Best of luck!

Robby1972 · Joined: 13 Jul 2010 Posts: 2

I just finished my two year contract at ABS in Kuwait. The two years flew by fast, but I really enjoyed my time in Kuwait. The students at ABS are just like students I had back in the States. Though, they are a higher socio-economic group than many of the students at other private schools in Kuwait.

One of the reasons I recommended this school to several of my friends teaching at other private schools in Kuwait is the technology available to teachers. I had a smart board and document camera in my classroom. I had my own computer, and wide assortment of software for use in teaching my students. This made teaching much less laborious than it was for my friends at other schools.

You do have to work hard at ABS though. Don�t come if you aren�t ready to do the same level of planning as you do back home.

I did a lot of traveling over the past two years due to all the holidays they have in Kuwait.

Great place!

bje · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 527

bengt · Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 16

Starfell · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 138

ABS are advertising a whole load of jobs on the Times Ed site- so a lot of teachers leaving.

mideastbound · Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Posts: 10

Hi All,
I'm new to this forum and will be new to Kuwait in a few short weeks.
Being a SWF coming to the ME for the first time, I'm a bit apprehensive.

I have 3 job offers and one of them is from ABS. I've read your posts an appreciate your comments, but the teachers who have e-mailed me from the school all speak very highly of the school and the students. The package they are offering is pretty good, but the other two offers are good too. (Gulf English/ATIS and UAS) I have to make a decision within the next week and I
just wanted to get some input from those that know.

Cheers

Starfell · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 138

If you go to ATIS/GES you will NOT I repeat NOT be legal as they have had their file closed at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour for at least a year.Do not believe them when they say ''come on a visit visa and after a month we will get a work visa''= lies.

ALL new teachers last year were on illegal visit visas for the entire time and one teacher had a travel ban on her as she tried to leave in June- her ''crime'' was IPE/ATIS NOT getting her a proper work visa. As a result there was a case against her and she also had to pay over 400KD fine.Another teacher was almost unable to give birth as her papers hadn't been finalised- in the end her husband had to sponsor her.

Academically: the level is way below most other ''American'' schools in the country, on THREE occasions I saw GPAs altered by management in order to help students qualify for Ministry sponsorship/ college applications.Go there at your peril- this year at least 10 faculty leaving and in GES the rumour is that FORTY left.

ABS does have a bad reputation among other teachers here- I've never taught there, but there's no smoke without fire, so.......take e mails from ''existing members of staff'' with a huge pinch of salt.

UAS is probably your best bet of the three.

Good luck.