Job Discussion Forums

[mesenjah]

I was reading a post a while ago and it started with 'Yo' and some of the senior people on this sight got a little upset with this so lets just start with

Good Afternoon,

I've been offered a position with IAT in the UAE something with regards to a block 3 teaching start..... Does anyone know what that means? I understand some of you have your views with regards to IAT but after being in the magical kingdom for a while now this could be the breath of fresh air required.

Your thoughts on a postcard to the usual address... Thanking y'all in advance

[desertdawg]

Guessing it's to do with the start time. Third term/trimester?

IAT is for under 18's as far as I'm aware so they won't have the semester system of higher education. Coming up for Eid so maybe this is the first block or half block done. Think Christmas is a "half-term" or perhaps end of term. Maybe the third block will be 2012 after the second block. April?

Might have to do with years like year ten or eleven, K10, K11? But think the guys only do two years at IAT.

If you have the energy to search through the HCT stuff the academic calander for 2011-12 was posted. That would give more exact dates.

That's my penny's worth of speculation. Keep the board posted if you can. I'd be interested to hear more about IAT

[mimi_intheworld]

I have a few friends teaching at IAT. They seem to like it fine (depending on their campus). I am waiting for a "definitive" answer to your question, but it seems like block 3 = term 3 to me, too. Which would mean 8 April by my ADEC calendar (which is essentially the same calendar IAT follows).

[Geronimo]

This is the link to the IAT's Academic Year Calendar...

http://point.iat.ac.ae/en/Curriculum/Documents/ATHS_Academic_Calendar_2011_2012.pdf

[BrownSauce]

IAT pays below average and the management ain't so good, I hear. But it might be a reasonable stepping stone to something better.

[Geronimo]

In answer to the OP's question -Block 3 starts in the first week in January -
on the Al Ain campus, at least.

[Incedere]

[makeajoyfulnoyes]

I'm not sure where you got the information that IAT has a below average pay scale. The housing allowance is generous, the salary is reasonable. If you play your cards right and choose a villa or apt. at a reasonable cost, you can bank the remainder of your housing allowance when your yearly lease is paid in full. The teachers who have hired on this year are pleased with what they have received, for the most part. Obviously, your academic credentials and your years of service will determine if you fall at the upper end of the pay scale. I guess it also depends on what you consider "below average."

[GriffinParka]

I'm posting this on this thread too. Hope that's OK...

(Story from a colleague)

I worked there for a year, and left before the end of my contract due to unforeseen circumstances. The circumstances were that each month the school held back a little more off either my housing allowance or medical expenses or general salary.

They always cited an 'accounting' error. But when I tried to claim nearly 1000 dollars of valid medical expenses I was told flat out after six months of emails and in person requests that I would not be getting it. No reason given. After speaking discretely to over 30 teaching staff members, I found that I was no alone in being owed medical expenses.

This school has over 5 campuses and teachers total in the hundreds. They are all owed some portion of money, either medical, unpaid housing, illegally deducted wages, unpaid holiday airfares, unpaid overtime and unpaid holiday pay. This doesn't include unpaid gratuities when one finishes their contract. These are also increasing in the number of unpaid teachers leaving.

Then, we were given raises. The papers were stamped, and a few months later the raises were retracted. Then a few months later, some of use received the retracted monies back. Many did not.

I decided to leave the school when I was advised that legal action would be useless against a government Emirati run school. That the school has wasta and may lie in court about me should I chose to pursue this case. I was advised to leave the country.

Upon trying to have my visa cancelled and my outstanding holiday airfare paid, and other monies totaling over 80,000 dirhams, I was asked by the Pakistani Human Resource Manager to pay 30,000 dirhams to him to have my EXIT VISA stamped.

I refused. When I went to leave without bothering to try to get my money owed etc., I was stopped at immigration and told the school had placed a spot on my exit and I could not leave without their permission.

I called my embassy. They got involved. The school then LIED to my embassy officials that i had stolen equipement from the school. I told the embassy I had a receipt for returned property, and faxed it to them.

This lie was recorded by my embassy officials from the IAT officials. The embassy told me the school was willing to talk to me and I should go see them. Well I had no choice because I had to have my exit visa stamped.

I went and the Pakistani Human Resource manager again proceeded to demand some form of 'backsheesh' or payment to LEAVE the country. He admitted that I was owed money, but to get my exit visa I would need to pay, "something".

I refused. I went to see the Director of the school and explained my situation. And asked him why they won't let me leave the country since they owed me money and airfare, and I was leaving without it.

In the end after several days, they agreed to let me leave. And they said how sad to lose such a good teacher.

I felt sick to have worked for such a corrupt school and under the umbrella of the UAE gov't. This is a disgrace. No teacher should work for IAT in any city.

[makeajoyfulnoyes]

Thanks, Griffen, for the thorough and informative post. I will pass this along, as needed. Which campus did this colleague work for?

[veiledsentiments]

Since you posted this on two threads, I will repeat my response here too:

That post brings up a couple questions:

S/he stated that "all" the teachers are owed money for one thing or another. Since there are "hundreds" of teachers, I wonder if it might overstate the situation. We have had some posters claim to be OK with their positions at IAT, so I would presume that they had been paid properly. As usual, if only half of this post is accurate, I certainly wouldn't jump at the chance for a job there.

The other thing is that I have never heard of anyone needing an "exit visa" to leave the UAE. I am guessing that she means that she needs to get the "spot" (stop?) posted on the computers at the airport removed.

VS

[GlobalDawg]

I agree with the posters who question the notion that IAT pays below average. I've worked for ADNOC as well as IAT and the salaries are comparable. Actually, IAT is more advantageous because the housing allowance is paid monthly and you have the option of choosing where you live and how much you will pay.

Another thing to understand about IAT, is that when you apply for a position, your application is considered for the various programs under the IAT umbrella that Incedere indicated above. The screening process is such that the applicant may be targeted for an interview for a particular position and the result of the interview may be a referral to another program.

GD

[olivertwisted]

Take my advice, keep away from IAT. This place is horrible. You will experience high level of incompetent management. Teachers there teach on Saturdays, too!!!!!!!

[Diamondz]

So teachers work 6 days...... or 5 days, one of which could be a Saturday?

[olivertwisted]

officially, teachers work 5 days a week, Sunday through Thursday. Starting last year, teachers are FORCED to come on Saturdays for so different reasons i.e remedial, extra-curriculat-activities, ...etc. It is not voluntary and they are not paid for this extra time taken out of their weekends!!!!