Job Discussion Forums

buttermilky · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 1

Hello everyone in Cyberland. Does anyone have any info: bad or good on this outfit, American Bilingual School? Hey what's the capital of Cyberland? Siberia?

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

turn over of teachers very high
pm me and i'll tell you why
tidbits include
they have contracts where they go against kuwait labor law saying so you can only have a few sick days or you pay (totally against the labor law) and thaT FEMALE TEACHERS CAN'T BECOME PREGNANT
sorry for the caps
no one has taken them to court because big wigs own the joint - avoid the place

spiker25 · Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

Warning: I applied to this school and went online to research them. Then I went through the phone interview and asked them specific questions to see if they would be consistent based on what I read on their website. They were not only completely inconsistent with what's on their website, but when they offered me the position, the contract was also inconsistent with both what they said on the phone and the info on their website!

Basically, they have shown that they can't be trusted. Don't waste your time! It's not worth going halfway around the world when you can't trust them!!! And they insisted on a 2 year contract. They said on the phone that I could only have my accommodation paid for if I signed a 2 year contract. Then, I got the job offer and it said that my accommodation is taken out of my pay every month for a little over the first year of the contract. Also, they told me that half of my first month's salary would be taken away as a security deposit. So, I have to pay them to work for them? I don't think so!!!

So, word to the wise: WATCH OUT FOR THESE PEOPLE!!!

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

Spiker- yes ABS is not really one of the 'up there' schools.

It is quite common here for teachers to have to pay a suppl. if they want unshared accom. however.

As for the ''deposit''- that is their take should you decide to do a runner;it will cover their costs for the residency! It is not legal and I do know of one teacher working at KNES ( Kwik and Nasty Exit School) who did not have his ''deposit'' of 200KD returned when he handed in the legal notice and left.

Re standards at the school- they accepted two students with learning difficulties from my last school straight into their mainstream classes without question. The girls 'are doing very well'- which either means
a) the school has a super special needs dept ( doubt it)
or
b) the school is completely ignoring their special needs and passing them ( believe it)

Good choice to avoid them.
Visit tes.co.uk for jobs available this week- don't worry if you are American as UK curric schools will still employ you.

Good luck.

debbers · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

Hi there!

I have just been given an offer of employment with ABS as well. I'm wondering if anyone else has any (further) negative opinions of this school, or alternately, if there are any positive opinions out there?

I've got a Masters degree in History, but just an Oxford TESL Cert. and I like this offer because I would get to teach Humanities, rather than ESL (more up my alley). This is one of the few 'bites' that I've had on this site, and so I am tempted to take it.

Any suggestions would be really great.

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

Don't take it= you'll probably end up teaching local Social Studies anyway....................

Christaintheworld · Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 3

Hi,
I was just offered a position as a Drama teacher at the ABS in Kuwait, I would be teaching the girls not the boys. Is it really as bad as everyone says? I've been doing some research and haven't read one good thing about it, but I 'm really scared I won't find anything else...

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

the economy is bad, IT MAY BE THE ONLY JOB offer you get - but you should still have standards

bengt · Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 16

AVOID.

PM me for info.

rowntree · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 55

Don't they make you work weekends too?

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

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

i would wager a sizable percentage if not most of ABS teachers are not certified

bengt · Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 16

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

I found the information in the ads being run on the International Jobs link here and then read what was said on the particular branches. Public knowledge... Cool

Search Teachaway - recruiter for ADEC... on the UAE branch.

I don't know if they will be recruiting for 2nd semester.

VS

Dasani122 · Joined: 27 May 2010 Posts: 1

Does anybody have any current info on ABS? All of the info here seems to be a little dated. I was offered a job the other day and want to make an educated decision.