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[dime a dozen]

The following information could save an English teacher�s life.

This week, yet another English teacher was fired at The American University of Afghanistan. Gross misconduct; an event involving alcohol and students. MOD EDIT

If you happen to be looking at recruitment to AUAf, take care to consider the following information regarding security. It could save your life.

To begin, an international was shot dead in Kabul last week.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7679212.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4977053.ece

The incident happened in Karte Char, very near an American University of Afghanistan guesthouse called Char Manar, and very near to a coffee shop called Chaila. Walking the triangle between the location of the shooting, Chaila and Char Manar would take about 10 minutes at an easy amble.

TESOL teachers living in the Char Manar guesthouse are crammed together on top of each other in difficult living conditions; hence, they frequently stroll to Chaila coffee shop. This walk to the coffee shop is encouraged by AUAf management which does not take responsibility for providing better appointed housing but instead allows its English teachers to walk the streets of Karte Char, even to walk past the very spot where the woman was shot dead last week, so that stir-crazy teachers can feel some relief from the housing pressure-cooker.

This is despite a USAID funded document researched in 2006 and later released to AUAf only to be promptly squelched by management. To some acclaim in the NGO communities peripheral to the AUAf (USAID and The Asia Foundation), the findings of the report recommended very strongly that sufficient and appropriate housing is the most significant need of international staff to ensure mental stability and productivity as well as safety. The report was binned and has never been resurrected. Despite clear warnings and clear guidelines for a best practice, management does not commit to appropriate housing for English teachers and so endangers its staff through reckless Band-Aid solutions that have teachers walking the very footpath where the international was shot dead last week.

Further, note that AUAf staff does not have open access to security bulletins. There is a bulletin called the ANSO (Afghan NGO Security Organization) report which is released on a regular, even daily basis to inform NGOs of the security situation. It�s commonly distributed among internationals in Afghanistan, but AUAf teachers can not get the bulletins through the university because management forbids its distribution. ANSO policy is to send the bulletin to about 5 members of an organization, no more. AUAf managers get the ANSO bulletins and then are required to withhold the information from staff; company rules. The reason for this is that management does not want teachers knowing too many alarming things about imminent violence in Kabul. Keep them in the dark; keep them happy.

An alarming consequence of keeping teachers in the dark is that teachers take uninformed risks. An example was around September 18 this year when the UN declared a White City alert because of highly credible intelligence from multiple sources of vehicle borne suicide bombers ranging Kabul and seeking targets. Under White City, the UN locks down and nobody goes out. All NGOs in Kabul were on guard that day, including all USAID ops, but at AUAf there was nobody in charge. No leadership. None. All managers were out of the country on trips, and no staff had access to ANSO reports (There is an AUAf security manager, but he had nobody in-country to report to; it�s not clear to what extent he is permitted to manage security. His predecessor was only permitted to inform.). I heard that several AUAf staff travelled round Kabul that day at great risk. They didn�t even know.

MOD EDIT If you are thinking of joining this organization, you really need to know the information posted above. In summary, the university management does not commit to decent housing for teachers then allows teachers to walk around to offset the cabin-fever that festers in its crammed guesthouses. Teachers have been walking where someone was shot dead last week. Along with not allowing AUAf staff to be fully informed, and along with a lack of standard operating procedures for when there is nobody in charge, the big picture tells that because the university management is irresponsible, you will be in danger.

You could die.

[scot47]

The moral is that sensible people do not go to Afghanistan.

[007]

[Stephen Jones]

[scot47]

I am not sure I would recommend anywhere in what used to be Soviet Central Asia. Now that the Turkmenbashi has left us.........................

[darkside1]

Here's a recent discussion from an aid workers' forum on security restrictions in Afghanistan.

http://www.aidworkers.net/?q=node/1736

[hawlermonkey]

I felt safer walking around Kurdistan than I do in any UK city. Erbil and Suli are getting better by the week in terms of shopping malls, bowling alleys, bars and restaurants. A multiplex cinema is opening soon. UKH is now a really good place to work and the salaries have increased a lot.

[escapedcanadian]

I have a job offer from them. I've read with some trepidation the posts here. But am I correct in thinking that a number of the people who angered the ESL teachers have since left the university (for whatever reason)? (Obviously Afghanistan is dangerous, but the quality of my coworkers would either make me feel safer/more at risk.

[dime a dozen]

Since the OP, there were two more internationals slain at DHL kabul, and two kidnappings; the one yesterday was quite stunning.

(When you read this, be aware that AUAF transport is clockwork regular and high profile. Vans leave on schedule. It's a strike just waiting to happen.)

http://www.aidworkers.net/?q=node/1817

Escapedcanadian, be well warned; regarding mismanagement, the president has been knocked off, but the other offenders remain. You should also read the recent post by Grapejuice.

<http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=65434>

[grapejuice]

When I was there, most of us didn't hear about a major bombing in town from the school until hours later. Many of us could have gone into town without any info...

That is gross negligence on AUAF's part. I wonder how they get their funding.

Does anyone really know? Someone should report this forum to USAD!!!
Would they like to know how their money is being wasted?

[veiledsentiments]

Since when has USAID cared about wasted money? Take one look at the US Military and its obscenely expensive little escapades. Government is all about funneling tax money upwards to those in power.

VS