Job Discussion Forums

[bluemoray]

Hello. I've seen past threads on CEC Canadian Education Centre or CECN Canadian Education Centre Network with headquarters in Dubai. The posts were older.

The CEN Canadian Education Network that I know of now is based in Vancouver.

Are there 2 different companies?

CEN in Vancouver has started a school in KSA. Can any one tell me about this company and if it has a good reputation in the middle East with teachers?

If you know anything recently concerning CEN based in Vancouver that would great.

[RUBALKHALI]

Hi:

I was interviewed by a person in Vancouver, George(who is no longer with CEN), for a teaching job in JAZAN(Jizan) at a technical college there. I was told they have about 4-600 students. Jizan is located in the recent conflict area of the KSA with Yemen.

I asked George if CEN was affiliated in any way with University Canada West(UCW) which we all know is/was?? in a SHADY business partnership with Al Shabakah in the MESSY English Prep Program at King Faisal University in Al Hassa! His answer was not clear. Of course I never got the job.

UCW is a NON accredited Canadian university in Victoria, BC that went bankrupt and was sold to a rich investor, Peter Chung.

I have since researched for info about CEN but somehow the info on Google seems to be controlled/blocked...which could be due to the fact that Peter Chung's office specializes in IT CONTROL.

I hope my info helps you.

[RUBALKHALI]

By the way I was also confused about CEC and CEN...they seem to be the same company.

[bluemoray]

I too was interviewed by George and got the job yet I have been only sent this appointment letter, no official contract. I'm told I go in on a tourist visa and then after 3 months they will take groups of teachers to Cairo to get medical checks and then we also get our permanent visas after the 3 month of being there. My concern is that they may have something in the regular contract that I will be surprised by in a negative way.

Seems to me that the truly legit companies in the Kingdom only allow you to get your visa from the US or England. These are the employment visas and those teachers get them right from the start.

Salary at this school is OK at over 3K$ a month plus apt./ full medical and dental cover and transport and 4 weeks paid annual. (don't know if this is allowed to share specifics about salary and benefits...if not please surveyors block it out.)

I had a thorough conversation about the school's philosophy and they say they believe in only taking those who can cut it on the entrance exam and that they wouldn't play favorites to family tribal ties but they were stern in letting go many students who fail. yet they seem to retain a good bunch of students in spite of this.

I like this policy as it keeps the good, worthy students there and weeds out the rest. I'm told that CEN went to several companies to work with in the building of their new college in Jazan (near the future Jazan Economic City.) before they settled on SAGIA as the Saudi company which is building Jazan Economic City. Both companies are on the same page as far as school program philosophy discipline and it is western controlled I'm told. And JEC-PT is a new college.

All this sounds great yet they somehow still chose these North Star books to teach their students. I'm not a fan of these books. I think the program could benefit more with better quality books. Any suggestions or am I the only one who dislikes North Star.

Near the campus the Red Sea is close by but don't know what 's the access like .....a beach?....all paved docks?.

Any other teachers out there planning to teach here.... or are there already? If so please add anything else about teaching in JEC-PT in Jazan and Jazan living as a teacher as well.

Also..... Is it normal for teachers not to have their own desks/cubicles at the school with computer in KSA. This was/is standard in Oman tech colleges. What about KSA or does this vary from school to school?

I have been also told from CEN that CECN has absolutely no relation to them.

[veiledsentiments]

It all sounds borderline to me. The "theys" of the world tell one many things to get you to take a job and they may or may not be honest.

Of course, if you get there and things are not good, you can use the Cairo trip to take off for greener pastures. A risk there is that they are not telling you the truth about the trip to Cairo...

VS

[bluemoray]

To me it is all about what you can cope with. If you get into a routine and you have good relations with your students in class and spend your lone time with stuff to relax to pass the time than the cash is worth it. I listen always to the past stuff that has gone on with admin and teachers good or bad and keep a low profile. I then enter the game with my best strategy to not piss people off. Routine and stay out of the way and collect your pay.

[tatsuo1]

I'm told I go in on a tourist visa

I thought this was considered illegal by Saudi standards or laws?
That is to work with a tourist visa. I would be very cautious about this.

[lazycomputerkids]

[sheikher]

CEN candidates are being subjected to quite some primrose path rhetoric.

1. "Profile: CEN is an international education company that has been in operation for over 16 years. Originally funded with support from the Canadian Ministry of Industry, CEN has been active in the Gulf in recruiting students for Canadian Universities/colleges and language schools while also bringing Canadian resources to the Gulf. CEN is the education provider in charge of the day-to-day operation of the foundation program at the Jazan Economic City Polytechnic or JEC-PT. All members of the JEC-PT are employees of CEN."

http://www.eslemployment.com/c/canadian-education-network.html

Sixteen years in the making? And a website like this?? With no Press beyond 2004?

http://www.cpiconsult.com/cen/index.html

2. CEN's advertisements themselves are suspect. George wrote this? "The classes will be boys only, meaning that our instructors must be male to start." After starting, does George's contract provide provisions for instructors to change gender?

http://www.eslemployment.com/male-esl-instructor-in-jazan-saudi-arabia-jazan-economic-city-jazan-province-southwest-saudi-arabia-717236.htm

3. SAGIA (Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority) is owned 50% each by The -- wait for it -- Binladen construction magnates and MMC from Malaysia. How "western controlled" does this appear to you? You want reference to that name on your future cv? Good luck at the YVR Arrivals desk upon your repatriation!

http://www.zawya.com/projects/project.cfm/pid230707061300

"On the international front, MMC International is focusing on the utilities and logistics sectors globally, particularly in the Middle East. MMC is the joint master developer of the US$30 billion �Jazan Economic City� in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Binladin Group..."

http://www.mmc.com.my/company.asp

http://www.mmc.com.my/contact.asp

4. A recent news report records a SAGIA Director: "As for investing in education projects, [Muhammed] Al-Khars said that foreigners were only permitted to become involved in post-high school education schools and required approval from the relevant authorities like the Vocational and Technical Training Corporation and the Ministry of Higher Education."

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010020462290

Has CEN's college been accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education? Have you examined George's document?

Has CEN been granted required approval from the Ministry of Labor to recruit foreigners? It seems not, given your admission of entry on a so-called tourist visa.

5. Here's SAGIA's education manifesto. Looks like a freshman essay plagiarized from Wiki.

SAGIA's Education Sector's Goals
-- sufficient high quality education programs and institutions to meet present and future demands
-- more competent graduates
-- large number of Saudi employable at the higher end of the labor force
-- skills geared to future job market needs

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:q8siEsmjLr8J:www.imove-germany.org/images/SAGIA.pdf+sagia+education&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShwtsrit2c4etDfdLAWyZDh4HCLbh2UMs6d0i4kXQ6LMlbZpUMqM_MiOpGCtJ-xMlk3mKH7xVJX7je6OPmyJLxVnrIYBZ-BvByrI1y109ozjeIm-Xf1wVrrfzKm8thezAKUNW9o&sig=AHIEtbTq8IdIOTttNt-Kv_KCoZWIDjJ5pg


6. Your entrance into Saudi Arabia on a tourist visa is indeed illegal. To my knowledge, tourist visas are awarded a group of tourists all arriving on the same flight. Prepare yourself for interrogation.

7. Your sojourn to Cairo to presumably obtain a legit employment entry visa is itself suspect. Who pays that airfare and accommodation? Who covers your lessons in your absence? Who pays for the substitute's salary? Who pays for the visa agent's fees? Who pays the doctor? How will you obtain a criminal record clearance from RCMP halfway across the globe? How will you pay for that, and who will pay for that? How long does George allow for you to enjoy the pyramids while you wait for that crucial document?

You may be very assured that Saudi embassy officials will have plenty of questions to put to your visa sponsor. Here's one: What possibly could occupy a teacher's interest as a "tourist" for three consecutive months in the City of Jazan, a major construction zone?

8. Then there's the entire protracted process by which you obtain an iqama, the required temp residency card. By the time you get that, your contract will expire in a few weeks!

9. On a final note, no Saudi health insurance company will grant coverage to tourists. These companies do have official online access to government immigration files, and applications are monitored closely in compliance with regulations. Insurance applicants must be sponsored on a employment entry visa. Applications for insurance using claims of possession of those infamous 3-month business visit visas? Plain and simple: fraud.

10. Agent George may well have a degree in public relations. Probably not much education in personnel management and international affairs.

Enjoy your adventures with yet another scumbucket agent attuned to opportunism's whisper.

Typically British Columbian, as we've witnessed before from, for just one example, the Al Shabaka Training scams in collusion with University Canada West. Need I mention that UCW also supplied North West materials, content of which some Saudi students found culturally abhorrent?

[veiledsentiments]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

And, WHAT, pray tell, do you have against BIN LADEN??? (They've got such a nice boy!)

NCTBA

[lazycomputerkids]

I found Sheikher's post informative, and point #2 is funny. Informative because a "Canadian" group owned by interests from Malaysia and the Bin Laden family is noteworthy.

And I thought VS's attention to America's Amnesia with the Bush/Bin Laden ties equally noteworthy.

Because 9/11 discourse has now degenerated to the placement of a community center next to a strip club-- instead of a homicidal anarchist still at large.

[johnslat]

I'm reminded of Marx's observation that history repeats itself occurring first as tragedy, the second time as farce.

The tragedy of 9/11 has become a farce, a sad farce, composed of ignorance, prejudice, and political point-making.

Actually I suppose the transformation is, in itself, a tragedy.

Regards,
John

[bjkrauseca]

I�ve been apprised of various comments on some of the blogs of our operations in KSA. Most seem to be honest questions from honest people. I answer some of the queries here:
1. CEN, CECN, Eminata Group (CWU):
a. CEN (Canadian Education Network) is a wholly owned Canadian company. The sole owner, chair and president is Dr. George S. Chrysomilides. GC, as we call him, has three decades of experience in the MidEast in various capacities ranging from economics professor to a United Nations Economic consultant. He has also served at distinguished universities including the University of Chicago (a �Mecca� of sorts for economists) and the University of British Columbia.
b. For information: The brand names CEN and Canadian Education Network are registered in Canada and there should be no confusion between these registered brands and other names such as CECN that appear similar but have no connection or business association of any kind with CEN.
c. For information: The Eminata group is a private group with its star subsidiary, University Canada West, originally founded by a former president of the University of Victoria in Victoria, BC, Canada. The Eminata group attempted to run an ESL program in Riyadh but it is not �non-active�, according to one of its VP�s (a friend of mine � it is a small world). That university is accredited (contrary to a recent blog post � no BC school can offer a degree program without approval of the government�s �Degree Quality Assurance Program (DQAB)�, which operates as our provincial accreditation body for degrees.) I'n informed that KSA doesn�t recognize the degree because of UCW�s use of distance learning.
NOTE: PRC does recognize their degrees. The lack of recognition is solely KSA.

d. Further: there is no relationship between CEN, CECN and Eminata.

2. JEC-PT stands for Jazan Economic City Polytechnic and is the college home for the Cadre Program. Cadre is a Saudi company controlled by Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). Cadre has concluded a five year contract with CEN which makes CEN the Operator of JEC PT.

[Sashadroogie]