Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

If you do a search here on Majali, you will find years and years of complaints concerning the various institutions that he has been involved in managing. He apparently has major wasta somewhere in the Omani hierarchy that he has been able to keep this up for so long. Stay far far away from language schools in the Gulf. Other than the British Council, they are low paying, crap benefits, long hours, and lousy conditions.

VS

[travelbug0055]

[veiledsentiments]

His wasta has kept him there in power for about 20 years... this would be at a level well above the clerks at MOM.

VS

[travelbug0055]

I'm not comparing his wasta to the clerk's at MOM. I'm just pointing out that his wasta was rather useless when I challenged him at MOM. Apparently I'm not the first one to do so either.

[veiledsentiments]

His companies normally follow the law... which is what you were asking for. Few have complained that he didn't pay per contract... and usually on time. His employees have been complaining about this and that and the other thing to various Ministries for near 20 years... and he is still there...and he isn't Omani. So... I rest my case...

VS

[travelbug0055]

No I totally agree he has some major wasta with someone. He's very blatantly breaking multiple laws at the Hawthorn Language centers.

I read through the Omani Labour Laws (all of them) when I was there and took notes. He could actually face jail time for illegally employing an Omani citizen with no contract or benefits (not to mention all the other people working there off the books). There have been no repercussions as far as I've heard. So, he's definitely got some decent wasta if he's still there.

[Sleepwalker]

There are all sorts of irregularities throughout the educational system in Oman. I know of one institute who have 'teachers' who are registered as administrators and clerks. When MOM comes for an inspection, they are reported and the institute dismisses them. The manager runs to the sponsor and magically the same old positions are opened up then filled until the next MOM visit. Majali will not have the wasta, his sponsor will.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

Like I said, I don't know anything about what it's like to work at the Center. In the direct dealings I had with Majali, which admittedly weren't many, he was fine. One of my friends and co workers in Salalah actually got himself into a fair bit of legal strife and, to his credit, Majali was very helpful and supportive. In regards to his 'wasta', I heard that he was married to somebody with strong ties to the royal family. I don't know if that's true, but that's what I've heard...

[MuscatGary]

I worked for him for two years. Paid what was agreed on time every time and honoured the flights and end of contract gratuity. His accommodation was shocking so I asked for the housing allowance after 6 months and he agreed.

[travelbug0055]

Like i said, I was reporting what working at the center was like. It sounds like all you guys had positive experiences working for the CAS or something similar through Hawthorn as à recruiter. I heard decent things about this experience. Working at the Center is vastly different from what I understand. I probably would still be there if I had been at a CAS, but i wasn't. And if you are hired by Hawthorn now, you WILL surely be at the language center because, honestly, they don't really have much else going on.

I honestly didn't even deal with Majali that much, just his American protégé who has made enemies all over the country. But if you do take a job at Hawthorn and you have a dispute with the American, which you will, it will be no use going to Majali because he will just take the American manager's side.

[travelbug0055]

The main reason I'm posting this is to warn people about working at the language center. One of the reasons I took that job is because I read the same decent reviews about Hawthorn and Majali from you guys, the same people on here.

People shouldn't go to Oman to work for Hawthorn thinking they are going to have a pleasant experience in the CAS. You will be at the language school/IELTS sweatshop.

And you can't even negotiate to live outside of school property anymore. Believe me, I tried. You will be stuck at whatever piece of work they give you. The housing stipend isn't even in the new contract.

The information I have is probably more recent than anyone else on here. I left only a few months ago. PM me if you want more info, pics of the housing etc.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

I get your point, travelbug0055, but, as I've said a few times, I'm not commenting, one way or the other, on what it is like to work at the Center. That includes how it is managed/mismanaged. However, there have been a few posts on this thread that have been critical of Majali. OK, I barely know the guy, but, in fairness, I thought I should post in response and state that, in my dealings with him, he was OK. I also remember that he went out of his way to help one of my friends when he was in a very tight spot. That meant a lot to my friend at the time and he didn't have to do it. That was just my personal experience with him and people can take it for whatever they think it's worth, but, as to what it's like at the Center, like I've said before, I wouldn't have a clue.

[travelbug0055]

No I get that you had decent experiences with Majali. We all have different experiences. Mine wasn't great.

I'm really trying to focus on the language center and not veer off topic too much by focusing on Majali. Hence the subject: Hawthorn Muscat IELTS/Language Center.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

[travelbug0055]