Job Discussion Forums

hitch-hiker · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Oman

Hi,

I'm a new member of Dave's ESL. I have applied to teach with the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman and was thinking of Sohar College as a choice, but after reading the negative postings about it, I'm not so sure now.

Perhaps I should go to another College and avoid Sohar altogether.

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

There are obviously some problems there although you have to take many of the complaints that show up here on Dave's with a grain of salt. Much depends on your tolerance level for odd managements and if you have a better offer. Laughing

There are better places in Oman... but there are also probably worse.

VS

Geronimo · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 498

One factor to consider when selecting your preferences for locations within the federation of MOHE Colleges, hitch-hiker, is whether you would prefer to spend more time in the mountains or beside the sea. If you opt for the former, there's Nizwa, Rustaq and Ibri; and for the latter, Salalah, Sur and Sohar.

Another point with respect to the latter grouping, is that whilst Salalah enjoys a more favourable climate during the summer months than the other locations, it is more remote. Salalah is about 1,800 km from Muscat; and Sohar is 200 km.. The drive into Dubai from Sohar takes about 3 hours including checkpoint delays.

Sohar College's English Dept is a bit larger numerically than the others. The rents are a little higher here in Sohar - although the MOHE now allocates furnished accommodation for new starters upon arrival.

steppy-boy · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 61

I wouldn't go to Sohar College. There are much better places in Muscat. The jobs here are plentiful and the social life and conditions are more civilised.

Sohar College has a lot of problems at the moment with staffing, recruiting and admin issues.

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

kuberkat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman

There have been many posts on this board about Sohar, and I am certain that there are good reasons for that. However, it seems to me that many of the problems encountered there are similar to what you would experience anywhere in Oman to some extent. Sohar has its benefits: a location near the ocean and a hop across the UAE border, a burgeoning expat population of various professions and constantly improving amenities. Still, I wouldn't call it a city as such. If you are opposed to what you know about this college, you could always ask your agent to post you to another college. It is still early days in the recruitment process, and you may have a pick of the bunch.

The bottom line is that Oman takes some adjusting to, and public education demands a serious softening of one's standards. It will be a hug adjustment, but I doubt whether it would be more so in Sohar than at the other colleges.

carnac · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 10:10 am Post subject:

kubercat - A hug adjustment would be really nice right now! Laughing

kuberkat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman

carnac, it would certainly be an improvement on the caustic politiking wedging itself between my colleagues.

Embarassed

I did, however, mean a heeeeeeoooooooodggge adjustment. Embarassed

Zola6666 · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Erewhon

One of the reasons for a 'caustic' environment in Salalah is because one or two teachers are known for giving out the test questions - and these are British teachers. This was so obvious recently, two mid-terms for the entire first year students had to be rewritten and re-administrated.

Some teachers, who aren't fully qualified, or have other personality disorders, like to make themselves look better than everyone else. Since they can't really teach, they can manipulate the numbers and make their students look like they learned more than others.

This situation caused havoc in Salalah. Let's hope the Ministry has completed their investigation and moves on it, hoping the truth that is out there forces the Ministry to remove the problem.

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

Zola6666,Are you aware that the title of this pot is "Should I avoid Sohar College?"

Why are you posting such information on here, if you have something to say about Salalah, do not bury it in this thread, make a new post so that others who wish to respond may have the opportunity to do so.

Duffy Surprised

Geronimo · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 498

Duffy, in all fairness to Zola6666, you may wish to consider the possibility that hitch-hiker could have been persuaded by earlier postings on this thread to consider Salalah College as a location as a part of his/her strategy to avoid Sohar College. There is a link -albeit a tenuous one.

However, if a visitor to this Oman forum was considering not going to Salalah College as an employment option, there is a real danger that they may overlook this thread as a source of guidance due (a) to Sohar featuring so prominently in its title; and (b) to the total absence of any reference whatsoever to Salalah in that title. So, I support your proposal....

Ideally, in order to assist those posters who prefer to choose the location of their next appointment by a process of elimination, it would be helpful to have a much more comprehensive set of "Should I avoid ..... College?" threads in alphabetical order on this forum; headed up by a "Should I avoid Oman altogether?" thread, of course, to save some pessimists a lot of time. In that way all the bile would be thrown up in a more timely and orderly fashion.

P.S. By the way, is there a Freudian slip in your top line, Duffy?! Were you typing one thing while you were thinking of amother?

Liverpool or Milan for the cup? What do you reckon?[/quote]

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

Geronimo,

Being a Man U fan, I care not who wins, however, my students are mostly AC Milan supporters, what can I say, except Milan Laughing

I cannot see that Zola6666 should have made those comments anywhere else than on a Salalah thread. What she said was completely out of context in relation to the other posts.

I am sure that HitchHiker would ask questions about other colleges had he or she any desire to contemplate going to one of them.

I very much agree with your proposal that there should be a part of this site devoted to the up and downsides of such establishments. This way those thinking about coming here could make up their own minds based on the opinions, good or bad of those places. However those posts would have to be heavily moderated due to some people naming names.

"amother" was that a Freudian slip on your part Geronimo??

BTW, in my case it was more like "Gin fingers" that made the mistake. Well, it was Wednesday evening!!

Duffy Very Happy

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

I do believe that if one does a search for either Sohar or Salalah, this thread would come up, so it isn't a complete loss. Laughing

And the OP did ask if he should choose another MoHE college, so the post could help his decision on which branch to request instead of Sohar.

VS

kuberkat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman

Some good points made by the previous posters. As to the suggested thread "Should I avoid Oman altogether?", one of the most telling answers comes from Duffy:

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

KK,

Was the "Virgin" Mary non alchofrolic?

Anyway, it was a wind down weekend for me. Not every Wednesday/Friday is spent in the misty haze of duty free Gin/Whiskey/Lager or Cider!!! I and some friends spent today on the beach, swimming, sitting watching Dolphins and other aquatic life. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, made by the ladies and none of the usual Omani/Indian stares Shocked

All the same. We all have our wind-down ways, one way or another.

Apart from this, I was explaining to Geronimo, not the whole forum - BUT, as this a public access place, all are welcome to read and contribute.

VS, OP??