Job Discussion Forums

Saudi4Ever · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 135

I hear there is a primary school on the compound that is bilinguel. Anybody have any information on the school? Is it decent?

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Does it have a kindergarten for 4-year-olds?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There is a KG on campus.

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

How can I get my daughter on the waiting list? What's their contact info?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Your question indicates that you do not fully understand the way things work in the Middle East. First get here - then get your daughter into KG.

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Maybe waiting lists/school enrollment are done differently in KSA. In Qatar, some people put their kids on a waiting list via email and telephone call. Personally, I haven't done that since I've always been here.

I gather that putting a child on a waiting list via distance communication (email/phone) is not an option in KSA. How about getting my friend to do it?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

That depends on who your friend is. Does he have "clout" ?

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Clout? Does it take clout just to get a kid on a school's waiting list?

He's another expat who owns his business.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

If you are not here ? Yes, it takes clout. Or Magic or something. That is not the way things are done here.

FIRST.....................get your visa.

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:25 am Post subject: disagree

I respectfully disagree with scot47 on this one. I think he has stated before that he doesn't have kids here, although he is very familiar with the situation at KFUPM. Whatever institution you will be working with, you need to do ANYTHING you can to get your kids on the list before you come, visa or no visa. Don't stop seeking the information just on scot47's advice alone. (Again, no disrespect to scot47, who in my opinion is thoughtful and usually well-informed and a valuable poster on this forum.)

Again, I do not know the particulars of the KFUPM kindergarten, but I do know that time is of the essence when it comes to getting your kid into any pre-school or KG here. When you get here, school administrators will ask you why you didn't plan ahead.

Don't put all your eggs in the KFUPM KG basket. Look around for other options as well. I'll try to find out what I can about any of them.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

This time around I have no dependant children here but I have some experience of the parental role in KSA and elsewhere !

KFUPM KG is about 4000 SR for a year. I do not think they will take applications from people who are not physically in KSA. You can try.

There are other KG's - some more expensive. Try BISAK or the one in Eurovillage.

http://www.britishschool-ksa.com/HTML%20Pages/index.html

ttp://www.saudiarabia.alloexpat.com/saudi_arabia_information/international_schools_saudi_arabia.php

Tom Le Seelleur · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 242

I was at KFUPM until 2002 so my information is rusty. However, the way of doing things in KSA has not changed as it is here in UAE. Get in touch with one of the KFUPM buddies who are usually assigned to new teachers and get then to find out all the KG schools and contact details for you. Our kids went to some excellent KG schools which were located on some of the western compounds. They were very well resources with enthusiastic teachers. Redwood was one of them. Also refer (though dated 2003) to the KFUMP Faculty handbook which has a lot of useful general information.

http://www.kfupm.edu.sa/committee/ccac/FH%202003.pdf

We applied to various places before getting to KSA by using people I knew already living in KSA. There is very little wasta (clout) when it comes to getting your kids into KG schools. Getting someone to do it for you is a lot simpler.

Hope this helps
Tom

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Tom, thanks for the excellent handbook link. Do you (or thers) know of a more up-to-date version (this one was written in 2003)? I found another online handbook (2007) but it seems to deal only with university- or job-related issues.

dd (darling daughter) is only 4 so she can chill at home with mom.

How difficult is it bring in my car from Qatar? The handbook advises against it. I talked to a man in the KSA consulate in Doha here and he painted a simple picture.

1. Get Qatar export license plates and related export papers
2. Drive over the border and to the destination
3. Put it in a friend's name (who's a resident of Qatar) or leave it there and fly out
4. Come back after summer vacation, get the igama, and register it in my own name.

This sounds simple enough. Is it realistic?

Tom Le Seelleur · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 242

We drove from Saudi to UAE in a car we purchased in KSA. The paperwork was simple and the crossing trouble free. KFUPM also has excellent support on the Jebel.
When I was in Saudi, a colleague told me that expats could not buy new cars on hire purchase. I found out that his information was wrong and got a car the following week. I suggest that you read the advice on the forum with interest but don't always follow the advice of one including mine. I have not been there for 6 years so I might be talking out of my....
Tom

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

KSA to UAE is not necessarily the same as UAE to KSA ! It might be easy but.................................