Job Discussion Forums

[Pfunk]

Hello all, new to the forum here.

I ran several queries with various search terms but could not find what I needed so I thought I'd ask directly. My wife and I are certified teachers working in the international school circuit; we're considering jobs with Singapore International Schools Hong Kong. I've looked online for reviews of the school, working conditions, etc., but not found any. The school itself seems to have a decent reputation as an academic institution, and I've seen the history of the school, but have not seen anyone comment on how teachers are treated, whether they're a "good" place to work or if they're exploitative, etc. I've been given cautionary tales about SIS in other locations but nothing about the one in HK. Can any of you share some information with me?

The salary appears decent but there is no housing benefit, no moving allowance, etc., at all, so setup in HK would be on us. Using some online rental sites it looks like rent for a 1000sf flat will run us $45,000/mo, with three month's deposit, up to 9% tax yearly for the tenant (!), and other fees to agents and the like. In short, it looks daunting though we'd recoup it over time.

The school year and daily schedule look much longer than other schools around the world; is that particular to SISHK or is that common in HK?

Basically, we're trying to find as much information about the school and working conditions before heading into the interview and any help would be welcome. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you can share some information with us.

[crazycat]

Your rent would be much cheaper. Try about $15,000 for a 3 bedroom and maybe a small commute.

There are decent schools in HK. So, if you come to this one and things don't work out you will have other options.

HK is a great place to live and work

crazycat

[oxi]

[Pfunk]

Thank you very much for the thoughtful replies; we interview tomorrow so having this information beforehand is most helpful!