Job Discussion Forums

Epicticus · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 25 Location: Oman

Because of the current concern for phoney qualifications in the education sector, several teachers at Sohar College are now under investigation by the MoHE. So far, there has been two confirmed cases of teachers possessing fraudulent qualifications. These two teachers will no doubt have their contracts terminated.

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

An employment advertisement Epicticus?

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

and rightly so if they have fake qualifications

Mojoski · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 170

Turbster · Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 67 Location: UK

Being new to this I am maybe a bit naive? How can anyone have 'fake' degrees, when they have to be legalised by solicitor, and then the apropriate embassy? Then by the Oman embassy?
I have to do all of this soon, as I work through the employment process for myself.

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

It is further proof of what I have saying for years... this ridiculous certification procedure proves NOTHING. All it does is provide a number of governmental organizations with a sum of your money. At no step of the way do any of these offices providing stamps and ribbons and wax actually contact your university to see if you ever attended or graduated. It only proves that the certificate seems to be the type of certificate that this university provides. (Hello? Kinkos?)

It would be wonderful if these countries would finally figure this out... dump this ridiculous and ever more expensive procedure and have each new employee provide an "official transcript" from their universities. Right now the only organization that I an aware of that does this is HCT in the UAE. You never hear of them hiring anyone with fake degrees and they hire hundreds of teachers.

VS

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you go for a government job in Saudi the Saudi Cultural Mission contacts the University to check that the degree is genuine.

Geronimo · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 498

Hi Mojowski,

The Sohar Source newsletter is probably the best source of info about what is on offer in Sohar for expats.

It is available upon email request from [email protected] .

Have you tried entering 'Sohar Oman' into the search fields of the youtube and flickr websites?

Geronimo

Mojoski · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 170

Thanks for the heads up, Geronimo.

At The Crossroads · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 9

There was a topic similiar to this a couple months ago and still am in such disbelief over the false certifications and degrees!!!!!!!!!!

How in the world can someone work with false papers? I was checked and checked many times before I settled in the UAE. I had to furnish my employer with 3 letters of recommendation from my school district, official copies of my transcripts, teacher certification, and my college diploma, with a translation from Latin to English. This all to strange, really!

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

This reminds me of a staff meeting I attended in Qatar. The Qatari training manager (a bit of a bully) said that if he was unhappy with any member of staff, he would check qualifications.

I was about to invite him to do the checks when I looked around and saw fear in the eyes of several staff members.

Falsified quaifications may be more common than we think.

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

Two points.

First, there is no doubt that applicants with fake degrees are at fault. But are the recruitement agents who hired them without proper research not even more guilty?

Second, some of the "culprits" that I know of do a far better job than many of the qualified staff, including (genuine) PhDs. I am all for standards in the ELT industry, but academic qualifications are not necessarily the best benchmark.

Those "culprits" have also had the professional compusure to complete their teaching and exam duties before leaving the country. If only the qualified staff who stay behind were so reliable.

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

'He was such as nice guy. Got along well in the community, did his work, kept to himself, minded his own business and the last preson you would expect this from". Sound familiar?

Perhaps those qualified instructors who do not fulfill their professional responsibilities are next on the list?

It is always more personally and professionally satisfying to have genuine qualification, do one's work to the best ability and generally live on the 'lighter side' of the profession.

A good object lesson to those starting in the career: Do the study-- do the work and find a professional moral centre.

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

Good point, jdl. I thoroughly agree that the study can deepen and enrich teaching practice. My objection is that an academic qualification does not stand in for competence. Good teaching requires both solid theoretical and moral/professional backbone.

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

And a willingness to learn, listen, take risks, be supervised .... on and on. Teaching like most careers is a lifelong venture/journey. The profession is stronger for those who see the journey as it is...hard work and fun! Many get off at the next stop which is fine if while on the trip a serious effort to enjoy and enrich the general experience was made..... which takes us back to your original point of a need for a much more rationalized and integrated recruitment, hiring, supervision/growth, retention/dismissal process.

A profession in its infancy. What does corporate cultural experience have to say on this?