Job Discussion Forums

Amenti · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:48 am Post subject: KSU Clear Out!

I have been hearing rumors from a reliable source that all of the management and half of the teaching staff at KSU has been sacked! This includes a female manager who was accused of having a fake degree, what the H*ll! Don't they check out the people they hire? Shocked

Citizenkane · Joined: 14 Jun 2009 Posts: 234 Location: Xanadu

Don't know what's happening on the women's side but I do know that there has been a big 'clear out' on KSU men's side. Loads of teachers not renewed.

Basically chimes in with what I've been talking about on other threads: Market really is tightening up, certainly for male teachers. I have contacts in most of the big colleges in Riyadh and almost all - if not all - of them have been laying off large numbers of staff. As I say, I'm not sure what's happening in women's colleges.

SassySweet · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 2

A number of women will not have their contract renewed either. When invited to an �appointment� to talk about this, no reason was given. All answers were ambiguous as to why. Even when specific questions were asked, they talked around the issue. This is quite common at KSU.

As for all the management being �sacked�, we can only say for certain that one was fired. She was angry enough about it to put it on the forum we have for all teachers as to why. The rest aren�t admitting anything, but all but three are leaving. Most say they are leaving for another position, but who really knows? Oh, and the HR manager has been removed from her position and will be working as a teacher next year.

It all came as a shock for most people, since they didn�t tell us until last Saturday, ten days before the end of the contract (we are contracted for July, but that is considered a holiday).

Also, the way we were told was horrible. Half the teachers piled into one room, while someone would call out a name. That person would enter another room with three members of management. Here they were given a handshake and told congratulations, or given an envelope. The envelope basically said, we won�t be renewing your contract next year and here�s an appointment time to explain how you can move forward. And you can see from above what happened then.

It was a horrible way to treat people and it shows how little they respect us.

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:46 am Post subject:

I heard that many of the female teachers whose contracts were not renewed had inadequate qualifications - sometimes not even a Bachelor's degree. They were only hired because Bell was so desperate for teachers, a situation which has clearly changed since then.

Can anyone confirm/deny this?

roy_101 · Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: UK

So let me try and surmise. The female teachers were removed because they were incompetent? And some did not even have a BA? Well, forgive me, but did they not check the qualifications prior to deployment?

Meanwhile, are there any males who have endured similar treatment and what is the norm there?

Roy

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:02 pm Post subject:

Dear roy_101,
Did you mean "surmise" or "summarize?"

If the former, that's what the other posters are also doing since right now no one seems to be privy to all the facts.

If the latter, than I think you're mistaken because - again - no one knows the facts (yet.)

Regards,
John

isabel · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 510 Location: God's green earth

Yes, no one knows the facts- and I have seen similar stories spread when there is a mass resignation on the part of the instructors. The uni tries to cover their butts by saying people were fired, or unqualified, or what ever.

And I really, seriously, doubt that it is the economy or the market.

There is a story there, and probably a juicy one, but no one has presented it here.

tefl2010 · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 19 Location: USA

A warning to all my TEFL colleagues!!!
I was offered a job at KSU by Bell recruiters and now with all changes there�they have just told me that they offer is not valid anymore. Take care!! I have left a good job in order to join this project and finally was treated with this lack of consideration.
Exclamation

tannhauser · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 43 Location: Middle East

... remember the extermination program at JIC a few years ago? Seems it might be along similar lines.

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:38 am Post subject:

bollidarling · Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 27 Location: UK

7168Riyadh · Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 149

On the male side, it's a bit of an exaggeration to say half the management and teaching staff has been fired. There is a rumour going round that the university are unhappy with the management, but no idea if that is true. What is true is that a whole bunch of teachers were not qualified to teach at the university level and Bell, the ace recruiters, seem to have been left with egg on their faces having hired these people. When I heard they needed 400 teachers I immediately understood two things: 1) I could get a job easily 2) Half the people I worked with would be dodgy/under-qualified. As far as point 2 goes, it was not quite as bad as I thought it was going to be...