Cambridge English School Kuwait
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dancingdaisy
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:55 am
Cambridge English School Kuwait
Just read the review of that school.I have already put in an application and now I am worried.Can anybody give me some information??The review sounds like somebody has an axe to grind.Please help!Thanks!!!
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interested
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:57 am
- Location: transplanted in Kuwait
CIS
All is true.....stay away!
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dancingdaisy
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:55 am
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hawally123
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:48 am
- Location: Kuwait
Cambridge English School, Kuwait
All reviews are true, stay away. Worst year of my life working at that school. Be warned...
Re: Cambridge English School, Kuwait
[quote="hawally123"]All reviews are true, stay away. Worst year of my life working at that school. Be warned...[/quote]
Hi, I've just received a job offer from this school as an ESL teacher and was trying to do a little research when I came across this forum. Could you please give me a little more infor about the school as I'm slightly worried now.
Many thanks
Hi, I've just received a job offer from this school as an ESL teacher and was trying to do a little research when I came across this forum. Could you please give me a little more infor about the school as I'm slightly worried now.
Many thanks
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Zsejanko
I find that teaching in the Middle East is probably the worst situation for an international teacher. I have not heard of the Cambridge English School ( Kuwait ) nor have I read the reviews. However, when teaching in the Middle East, one really has to consider the factors in play :
1) SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the most culturally traditional out of all the Gulf countries. The sharia law is essentially prohibitive and is incorporated into their judicial system (i.e. religious monarchical law / rule ). Since the sharia is essentially prohibitive, a foreign teacher has to understand that one's life has to be restricted in a few ways. Example 1 : For women, something as simple as covering up with a veil in certain places can become a hindrance in very hot, scorching weather. Example 2 : Not eating or drinking ( water even ) from dawn to sunset during the long, hot Ramadan month of August can be aggravating on a long teaching day. People's tempers are shorter without food and water for 12 hours long on hot days for a whole month. Example 3 : The culture of "wasta" ( i.e. wealthy people exerting influence or clout ) is common place even in the field of education. Expect parents to come storming in, demanding that their child's grade be changed as they are ultimately " paying customers "....and these are just the " little things ". Imagine the consequences of the law on your behaviour on a daily basis.
2) DIFFERENT ETHICS IN BUSINESS AFFECTS EDUCATION
Most "international" schools in the Middle East are run by nationals. The Board of Members usually consist of a royal family member ( whether minor or major ), national business men etc. Due to the fact that in the Middle Eastern culture, business ties are kept within the family ( i.e. nepotism is high ), you will find that what we consider "unethical" is perfectly normal for them. You will have family members ( who are not licensed or even experienced in education ) having a great deal of influence on educational and administrative decisions. Most schools in the M.E. ( esp. in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia ) are easily created with the influx of oil money. Anyone in Kuwait and Saudi with a bit of money and ties to the royal family ( or friends of the royal family ) can start a school and slap on the word " international " on it. That's why you have many COMMON complaints in the M.E. schools such as :
- Nepotism
- Unqualified / unlicensed nationals running departments and making important decisions
- Overly crowded classrooms ( this is bc most of the schools pop up like businesses with enrolment as the main concern )
- Discipline problems amongst the students, esp. the males ( this is due to the " wasta " culture that makes children with rich parents highly invincible )
3) SALARY IN RELATION TO STANDARDS AND COST OF LIVING
I find it amusing that Heads and Directors in recruitment fairs always advertise the " high " salary that their schools in the M.E. are offering. However, if you ask them the question, " How does it fare out in relation to the cost of living? ", you will find them stutter and falter. The reality is this : Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Abu Dhabi are all VERY EXPENSIVE PLACES. Yes, you will get approx. $ 3000 - $ 4000 USD starting, tax free, but consider the cost of living. Another reality is that because the societies in Kuwait and Saudi are highly restrictive, imagine the type of leisure you are restricted to : Hanging out with fellow foreigners and teachers in a gated community that is strictly restricted to foreigners. You save money bc there's not much to do and you live that " fishbowl " experience that most teachers in the M.E. have talked about.
I find that with the amount of stress with work, harsh geographical environment and weather, vastly different cultural values......$ 3000 - $ 4000 USD / tax free starting is not enough to keep one's cool or sanity.
1) SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the most culturally traditional out of all the Gulf countries. The sharia law is essentially prohibitive and is incorporated into their judicial system (i.e. religious monarchical law / rule ). Since the sharia is essentially prohibitive, a foreign teacher has to understand that one's life has to be restricted in a few ways. Example 1 : For women, something as simple as covering up with a veil in certain places can become a hindrance in very hot, scorching weather. Example 2 : Not eating or drinking ( water even ) from dawn to sunset during the long, hot Ramadan month of August can be aggravating on a long teaching day. People's tempers are shorter without food and water for 12 hours long on hot days for a whole month. Example 3 : The culture of "wasta" ( i.e. wealthy people exerting influence or clout ) is common place even in the field of education. Expect parents to come storming in, demanding that their child's grade be changed as they are ultimately " paying customers "....and these are just the " little things ". Imagine the consequences of the law on your behaviour on a daily basis.
2) DIFFERENT ETHICS IN BUSINESS AFFECTS EDUCATION
Most "international" schools in the Middle East are run by nationals. The Board of Members usually consist of a royal family member ( whether minor or major ), national business men etc. Due to the fact that in the Middle Eastern culture, business ties are kept within the family ( i.e. nepotism is high ), you will find that what we consider "unethical" is perfectly normal for them. You will have family members ( who are not licensed or even experienced in education ) having a great deal of influence on educational and administrative decisions. Most schools in the M.E. ( esp. in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia ) are easily created with the influx of oil money. Anyone in Kuwait and Saudi with a bit of money and ties to the royal family ( or friends of the royal family ) can start a school and slap on the word " international " on it. That's why you have many COMMON complaints in the M.E. schools such as :
- Nepotism
- Unqualified / unlicensed nationals running departments and making important decisions
- Overly crowded classrooms ( this is bc most of the schools pop up like businesses with enrolment as the main concern )
- Discipline problems amongst the students, esp. the males ( this is due to the " wasta " culture that makes children with rich parents highly invincible )
3) SALARY IN RELATION TO STANDARDS AND COST OF LIVING
I find it amusing that Heads and Directors in recruitment fairs always advertise the " high " salary that their schools in the M.E. are offering. However, if you ask them the question, " How does it fare out in relation to the cost of living? ", you will find them stutter and falter. The reality is this : Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Abu Dhabi are all VERY EXPENSIVE PLACES. Yes, you will get approx. $ 3000 - $ 4000 USD starting, tax free, but consider the cost of living. Another reality is that because the societies in Kuwait and Saudi are highly restrictive, imagine the type of leisure you are restricted to : Hanging out with fellow foreigners and teachers in a gated community that is strictly restricted to foreigners. You save money bc there's not much to do and you live that " fishbowl " experience that most teachers in the M.E. have talked about.
I find that with the amount of stress with work, harsh geographical environment and weather, vastly different cultural values......$ 3000 - $ 4000 USD / tax free starting is not enough to keep one's cool or sanity.
Last edited by Zsejanko on Wed Aug 10, 2011 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Zsejanko
I also find it baffling that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have a whole lot of international schools but only 1-2 that are considered " decent ". Granted, this website has become some sort of a " dump site " where no review stands for being a good school. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia has quite an extensive long list of schools on this site, which means that many international teachers who set up a review for their school to complain usually have worked or are working in the Middle East. Even "really good" schools like American School of Kuwait, at best, has an average score of 6.
I wonder what it is about these " really good " schools in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that qualify them as " good " ( from an education administration viewpoint ).
I wonder what it is about these " really good " schools in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that qualify them as " good " ( from an education administration viewpoint ).
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migratingbird
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:47 am
Re: Cambridge English School Kuwait
Any up to date info on this school? A friend has just had a job offer and I really want to be happy for them but this forum has raised some red flags for me. Would like to see if anyone has anything positive to report before I burst the bubble!
Re: Cambridge English School Kuwait
Zsejanko's points are well written and quite true. I taught in Kuwait for one year (not at the school in the OP) and it wasn't a good experience for me, mainly due to the unruly behavior and wasta that were mentioned. I didn't mind the culture so much because you know going in Kuwait is a dry country so you have to have other things to entertain you. Throw in a couple weekends out of country to Dubai or Bahrain and that aspect is fine. I also found Kuwait to be relatively cheap for the cost of living. I lived in a dorm style apartment, but it was all mine and I didn't have much costs that I had to budget for. So that was good. However, having people in "leadership" positions without any experience/education in the field is quite disheartening and can really bring you down. Perhaps if I'd been at a better school my educational opinion of the country would have been different, but I highly doubt it. I've read to man reviews of schools there that echo my own experiences and what Zsejanko has so aptly written about. I think your friend needs to seriously evaluate the entire package. Can he/she survive two years in a bad environment with kids that couldn't care less about their education? Can he/she deal with seeing the way Kuwaitis act like they are better than everyone and treat their workers like dirt? These are serious questions that only he/she can answer. If I had to do it over again I think I would bypass Kuwait entirely, but there are good schools in the ME. I just don't happen to think there are many in Kuwait.
Re: Cambridge English School Kuwait
Dawson I sent you a PM
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migratingbird
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:47 am
Re: Cambridge English School Kuwait
Thanks Dawson. You've just confirmed my own thoughts. All I can do is pass the info on, and then let her make up her own mind.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Cambridge English School Kuwait
Shadylane, if you are talking about the purple palace with the tennis courts on the roof along the 30 expressway, quite a few others would disagree with you. If you are talking others, who knows. Some really good schools, such as TES, have definitely gone downhill from back in the day...