Job Discussion Forums

whistleblower45 · Joined: 15 Apr 2010 Posts: 2

Those of you looking to teach in local schools in Abu Dhabi - take care! British providers are the least suitable to work for, since they prefer to kowtow to the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) which is also full of Brits. The so-called School Improvement Plan is in total chaos, mainly because those in charge haven't a clue what they're doing and don't want to listen to what teachers actually working in the schools have to say. If, like me, you dare to ask for advice or present your own ideas, your are liable to find your contract terminated and you on a flight home. I speak from personal experience and from observations of how others have been treated. Life in Abu Dhabi is great, the pay is good and the weather is wonderful. Working for a British PPP is the pits!

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

Chaos tends to be part of the territory with this type of job. Trying to change a system is always difficult and seems to be two steps forward and one step back... rinse... repeat. You have to be very flexible and be able to go along with systems and procedures that you often won't agree with... You have to accept that you can't change much, and don't expect them to accept criticism or suggestions unless they ask for it... and to be honest, maybe not even then...

As to whether the British recruiters are any better or worse than the Americans and whoever else is recruiting for these contracts, that is always a question. Often one feels that it is a race to the bottom. Laughing

What I would ask is... did they fulfill your contract? Were your living conditions acceptable? Did the pay promised arrive monthly? If one can answer yes to these three, one can learn to deal with the disorganization for a contract or two...

VS

icc · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 14

Any opportunities for newly-qualified teachers in UAE?

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Actually, ADEC has loads of people from all over the English-speaking world, and they are all seemingly advising the higher-ups on an equally poor level. If you want to say ADEC is a disaster, go for it. If you want to blame one nationality for that disaster, I'm afraid many are to blame.