Job Discussion Forums

mxolisi · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 7

I've seen a new ad for Mazoon College in The Chronicle. One just wonders whether things have changed there?! And whether HOD and Assistant Dean are still there? I never forget how, in one of our meetings, the latter wanted to convince us that "we Westerners" are superior to Arabs and we should treat the "girls" as if we were taming "wild stallions!!" Hope that that kind of prevalent racism is not there any more.

wyn · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 3

Having worked at Mazoon College, I can assure potential employees that I saw ocasional stupidity, but never racism as claimed in the previous post. I enjoyed my time there thoroughly.
My only reason for leaving was getting a position in a location less brutally hot in summer than Muscat.
Any job is what you make it. It is corrosive to bear grudges.

yoyo · Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 6

A friend of mine told me the situation in Mazoon is static and nothing changed and the unqualified English HOD-to my dismay- is still on the "crown". After all has been written and said about him, he mainatins enough "dignity" and sense to hold on the post. Where else on earth will that funny thing happens other than Mazoon. The issue of Mazoon is very serious indeed as it reflects problems of qualifications, professionalism and intellectual ethics. I decided to leave soon after I discovered that crimes were committed against these young girls and their future in the name of excellent education where academic staff are appointed according to "skin color qualifications" and not what they actaully attain academically and professionally. It is real dilmma.

wyn · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 3

I dispute these postings. Some staff are trying hard to do a good job at Mazoon College. Others, including those who no longer work there are only interested in carrying on this vendetta against the HOD. He is an intellectual who is striving to help a young institution grow.
Though I do not work there any longer, I encourage applicants to consider seriously working at Mazoon. Perhaps they will come to value the experience as much as I do.
The only ones hurt by these diatribes are the students. So often the motives behind these posts have nothing to do with their well-being.

yoyo · Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 6

He is an intellectual who is striving to help a young institution grow.
It is apparent that there are some quarters who insist denying the existence of the on a hot summer day!It is disgraceful to call such an incompetent ex-monk an intellectual. Of course he is intellectual by your standard as he holds a Th.D( Theology Diploma) and calling him an intellectual; just like holding a degree via distance education. He is intellectual as he did his best to force us to leave. We left simply because the place is not conducive for professional development. An intellectual faculty and a good administartor is the one that is patient, understanding, cooperative and knowledgable. Your "intellectual" HOD my dear suffers from Severe Power Lust Syndrome (SPLS).

wyn · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 3

So glad to see that you choose to degenerate this thread to the level of personal insults!
This, of course, makes clear your desire to hurt your fellow man, and to run down an institution that is trying to help the young of Oman.
I will not lower myself by continuing this exercise.

mxolisi · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 7

My understanding is that HoD has a degree called STD (Saint Thomas Diploma). Yoyo is absolutely right in the way he describes the situation there. If the Assiatnat Dean and HOd are stil around, I think MZN should not be thinknig of any academic or professional development.

yoyo · Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 6

The reason I contributed to this thread was tell about the experience we had in MZ and with the HOD of English in particular. It is my great concern that other colleagues avoid such a painfull experience that we had. Had I known MZ and the incompetent HOD of English, I wouldn't have thought of taking the risk. And when we discovered the truth and the fallacy of "intellectual" STD, we decided to leave. It is very false and misinformed argument to advocate the HOD behavior and to interpret it as contribution to the growth of the College. Is he really contributing to the development of the College when he celebrated our departure?It is an apparent professional jealousy and power thirst that blinded him and drove him to this level of lack of professionalism. The case of MZ is really serious as it raised questions about professionalism and qualification. In one of the meetings, the HOD mentioned that a person's CV is private and some parts are confidential. He even went further to claim that a degree in your CV can "swollow" another degree so you dont need to put all your qualifications on your CV.This is a simple example of lack of professionalism, and not to mention the performance in conducting meetings and disseminating information to other staff. Despite the repeated calls for him to relinquish his post, the HOD is still holding as my friend told me. A sense of responsibility and professionalism is needed.

to continue..

yoyo · Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 6

An admin. staff in mazoon college sent me a long e-mail about the the situation in the college and the accreditation exercise the college has undertaken recently. Being so pessimistic and gloomy, the e-mail sender reported that " the college is likely to fail, and my fear is that we will not get it ( the accreditation)". The reasons for MC faliure, according to the admin staff, are:
1. Recrutiment in the college is bias as it is based on passport type, skin color, and nationality regardless of experience and qualifications.
2. The college expropriates its employees' passports.
3. Poor teaching and learning environment with lack of resources.
4. Lack of respect for the academic staff by the management.
5. The admin main concern is money making rather than creating a conducive enironment which can provide excellent education.

* My simple comment on the above-mentioned points is that the accreditation committee has all the reasons and right ot put the college in the failure list.

yumyumkorea · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 28 Location: Europe

Yoyo, You can't possibly be a native speaker. You presumably slipped through the recruitment net. Your posts perhaps give a clue to the alleged state of this institution.

official · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4

Is this the Mazoon College that is on the hill above the Rugby Club? If so, it looks like a villa and an aquaintance told me that he teaches in portables that are set up like classes. Each class has a white board and some chairs with folding tables attached....school chairs from the 6os and white board markers are hard to come by.

I understand why it would not pass the accreditation. If resourses are considered, that alone would explain the failure.

Is this the place where 95% of the faculty are Indians?

Curious

yoyo · Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 6

The recruitment history of Mazoon College is riddled and riddled with dilemma. An absence of clear job descriptions and hiring requirements as well as lack of professionalism are among features that signify the selection process there. Like many other institutions in the middleast, Mazoon has unfortunately fallen an easy prey to the "fallacy of native speakers" which provided a suitable haven for many self-proclaimed "educators and intellectuals" who are there for ultimate survival and not more than that. The following are some examples:
1. An ex-priest with a diploma in theology which has nothing to do with education and Englsih language teaching is at the helm of the English Department.
2. The Assistant Dean who proves beyond any doubt to be unprofessional and incompetent, "got" an MA in 1971 and a "PhD" in 1973- a claim for prodigy and being inexplicable. Yet, his performance and character reveal otherwise.
3. The college has hired a "native speaker" with a forged PhD who was later sacked.
4. The college recruited a 'native speaker" who got a BA just last year via distance education.
5. A nurse with a long experience in nursing is now teaching English in Mazoon.
The above examples show how unprofessional the college is. I have rejected this practice right from the beginning and decided to leave the college as I did not want to use my skin color and passport for winning bread. I am now working with people who are really human and fantastic.

yumyumkorea · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 28 Location: Europe

What exactly is, 'The fallacy of native speakers' ?

mxolisi · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 7

The examples listed by Yoyo prove beyond doubt that MZN is a hoax--an enterprize initiated by some Omani businessmen just to make profit. Obviously, what matters for them is the skin color of their employees--"The Whiter, the better."

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

I don't think 'hoax' is the appropriate term, but the two things you mention - making money as a major goal and preferring native speakers - is the pretty much the norm all around the world as far as I have seen. It is especially apparent all over this board.

Outside of governmental run educational institutions, they need to make money. And the students are very fickle and when they are paying tuition often demand those 'white' faces.

As far as I can see from the complaints, what we have in this place is bad management. EFL teaching is unfortunately also full of that problem. But, if you have read this board and still take jobs at these places, at least you were warned.

VS