Any teachers just started with Education Experts?

Hi Buffiness,

I will be working at PNU but I've been employed through Adwaa Rabia Group not Education Expert.

But I guess we'll be working at the same place teaching English regardless of employer

Hi All,
I've just been offered positions at PNU with both companies - Educational Experts and Adwaarabia.  I just wondered if anyone has had experience working for either of these two companies and would mind commenting on them wrt working circumstances, work ethics, hiring hours, overtime, accommodation, etc. please.

Kind wishes

Carin

Hello ya'll,

I too have a job offer from the Education experts. However, I was recruited by the S and T group. It is all very odd seeing that I was sent a contract before the interview. Apparently, I won't be interviewed until I send in my visa application along with my contract. That can take up to 45 days. I'm not even sure if its worth the wait. I don't even know if I'll be guaranteed the job after the interview. What do you ya'll think?

Hi there,

You should go with the Adwaa group, much more organised.

Katrina.

Educational Experts is an Arabian company, whilst Adwa Arabia is an Australian company.  I wat told to rather go with a non-Saudi company as they are reported to look after the teachers they recruit, and keep then at one location, whilst the others move them around to where there is a pressing need.  One might find that you land up working multiple shifts (possibly without overtime, or a huge gap between the hours promised as contact hours and when overtime kicks in... e.g. initially the advert for Educational Experts stated that one would work 20 contact hours.  When I got the contract, it stated 30 contact hours and that overtime only kicks in after 48 hours work per week.  One is expected in the Eductional Experts contract to be willing to work 6 days per week....

Hope this helps someone who is making a decision to come to Saudi Arabia

Best wishes

Carin

I too am in the process of of working with Adwaarabia group and teaching at PNU.  I have been trying to find information out about living in Riyadh as a foreign woman, and also the recruiting company - making sure it is not a scam.  They want me to go in three weeks - as soon as they can process my visa.  It seems fast and I hope I can shut down everything here in time to go.  Can anyone give me any information on how it is to work in KSA and if the recruiting company is legit?

Thanks,
Amanda

Hi there,

Yes they are legit..I am working at the PNU with EdEx..however, my friend is with Adwaa group and they have looked after her very well..so I think you will be fine.

Buffiness.

Hello Buffiness

Can you please give some information about living conditions, i.e. what one brings along when you come; how much or little clothing one needs, the living arrangements, etc.?  It would be really helpful.  Also at Princess Nora University, what are the teaching and classroom conditions like and howm any students do you see daily - do you have a single fixed class or do you teach different groups.  how organised are the classes? 

Many, many thanks for your sharing of information.

Best wishes

Carin

Buffiness,
Thanks for getting back so quickly.  Where are you from and how long have you been out there?

Amanda

Hello! I just got my contract from Education Experts in Riyadh...any advice? Has anyone made suggestions to their contract?? have you guys had any success negotiating??

PLease help!!

Hi Hijabigeography,

My advice would be fix your teaching hours - they promise 20 in adverts, then the contract states 30 plus any overtime you are expected to do. The gap between the actual advertised hours (20) and the legal overtime pay limit of 48 hours is enormous - you'd be working 28 hours per week without pay!

So, the great salary they supposedly offer isn't that great after all, if you consider that they don't fix your teaching location (reserve the right to move you around at will) and that they will expect you to teach overtime.... (more than the 20 hours they advertised) .

Kind regards

carin

hijabigeography,

I received a contract from Education Experts and am trying to negotiate, with very little luck.  I am struggling with the number of hours and days per week. Doesn't seem to be in the teachers best interest.

Hello

I have been teaching with ed ex since August  -  a MAJOR ABSOLUTE SHAMBLES

visa expenses have not been paid although i have been here for near 3 months etc etc etc

dr aq

I'd say to go onto the Adwaa Arabia website, apply and see if they'll extend a job offer to you - very organized and have been most helpful even daily communications regarding visa, accommodation, which I've had reservations about, I could negotiate my contract, make amendments, which the Director discussed directly and agreed upon. I fly Monday and look forward to meeting some of you there.

Kind regards

Carin smit

carinsmit@eircom.net wrote:

I'd say to go onto the Adwaa Arabia website, apply and see if they'll extend a job offer to you -
Carin smit

Not if a contract was signed. Not sure much can be done after you put ink to that contract.  Unfortunately, I hear that their contract bans you from working for anyone in the industry some 2 years after you leave them, unless you get permission.  Not sure how likely that is but it's worth a try.

friends... I not a techer, but i spent 2 months in Riyadh and you have to understand it is different life here. maybe lots of money, but no life... I will be happy to answer any question about the life in Riyadh... here or email me at samkateeb@ymail.com

Thank

...

Hi Guys,
I have read all the posts on here and I must say I just got a job offer with Education Experts.  And I am concerned, anyone of you started with them recently ? , any personal feed back will be greatly appreciated.  or anything you might have read or heard about them.  I have also applied to Adwaa Rabia, so I am hoping to hear back from them, as some of you mentioned on here that they are great with their teachers. 
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hear from you.

Cheers
M

Hi, I am in the same boat as many of you are.  Just received my visa invitation letter from EdEx and wanted to ensure they are legit.  After reading this forum I now know they are, so that gives me a peace of mind.  I'd still like to hear from others about their daily teaching schedule.  Also females how did you adjust and dress?

Thank You

when are u starting with them, read the contract well, there are few issues there i dont like ... and who is the agency that offered you the contract.

hope to hear back.

cheers
M

I'm not sure if your talking to me Mediter but I don't recall the agency name.  I just received my visa invitation letter for EdEx but it looks more like a list than letter.  It's my name along with several other peoples names and next to that some stuff written in arabic.  Does this sound right to you guys?

Neffy wrote:

I'm not sure if your talking to me Mediter but I don't recall the agency name.  I just received my visa invitation letter for EdEx but it looks more like a list than letter.  It's my name along with several other peoples names and next to that some stuff written in arabic.  Does this sound right to you guys?

I am not teaching here, but have dealt with getting KSA visas for several US Passport holders (myself included). What you described (a spreadsheet-like thing with several names on it) is what they call the "invitation letter". KSA recently (in June of this year) switched to an electronic system of invitation letters, so what you have is proof that the invitation letter has been requested by your sponsor. It is not a "letter" like we think of it. Hope that helps.

Desertwest thanks for replying.  I appreciate you taking the time to clear that up for me.

Hello Everyone,
I am currently in Toronto, and waiting for my visa from the embassy. The 28th will mark one month, since it has been in their hands.
I'm very curious about Education Experts. I have accepted my offer, and signed the contract, but I still don't have much information. Can anyone fill me in?

Thanks in advance

One more thing . . .
How are they with paying on time?

I have been working double shift since August 2011 - they pay 50% extra.

dr aq

Hi, I've just completed my first week with Education Experts, they seem a reputable company & to date I've been treated fairly. I've put together information on my expectations & the reality, on my Blog. www.viewfromtheeast.blogspot.com, if you're interested.

Hi,
PNU is the other University that Ed. Experts supplies teachers for. Things are very similar, although they seem better resourced. I don't know what the accommodation is like.

What are the accomodations like that EdEx provides?  They have some pictures on their site but not sure if they are updated.

Hi,
They are pretty basic. The one on the website is not usually where they put you. Check out my blog where I give some details
www.viewfromtheeast.blogspot.com  Was I disappointed when I first saw it,yes. But it's my first time in the middle east & as a single women (my husband is in the UK) I was glad to be with others who could give me advice,also we support one another.  Also it is temporary...or so they tell us.

Thank you Sallyann.  I just read your whole blog, very informative.  I will continue to read it until I move out there.

I signed a contract with Edu Experts on December 10th.  THe recruiter who found me online told me have your transcripts, copy of passport, nearest visa office, and be ready to go soon.  It is now over 4 weeks later and I still haven't heard.  The semester begins next week.  Is this strange? I have contacted the recruiter and he may have mixed me up with someone..he seems to have many things going on.  I am getting cold feet.  What should I do?

Maybe you should go with another recruiter.  Theres dozens of them.  Even though the semester begins next weeks they continue to hire.  Try eslcafe.com look for the Saudi jobs and get in contact with them.

Sounds like a plan.  Thanks.

Oh, and be sure to read what the different recruiters are offering because all the offers aren't the same!  Some are better than others (some even offering a sign-on bonus because these universities are so desperate for instructors due to the high turn-over rate).

Hi

After 6 months with EdEx i am back in the UK for a holiday and also to start the iqama process for my permnent visa.

It has definitly had its ups and downs.

dr aq

I worked for EdEx for a couple of months after my bad experience wih AETG.  I am grateful for being able to go right into a new position so quckly and without going home first, but this experience was not as good as it could be, due to unrealistic expectations by the management of King Saud University's PYP program and general disorganization all around.

First of all, your visa allows only an entrance to Saudi, no exit.  So don't be surprised when you see it on the visa, no one told me beforehand, so I couldn't go to Bahrain or anywhere else.  It's the same visa normally given to laborers from South Asian countries.  But you do keep your passport, however a lot of teachers would run at the end of the month after payday.  Here's why...

The upper management of KSU must be in denial about the abilities of the male students.  There is a director there (DAVID MURPHY) that wanted us to teach very odd things such as Socratic Dialogue, added to a rushed schedule that didn't allow us time to focus on basic grammar points.  The test is all-important.  The number of "meetings" all teachers had to attend outside of class time was ridiculous, mostly regarding a lot of add-on programs run by Murphy and a few other Saudis who had been educated in the UK.  But it didn't reflect on the true abilities of the students themselves, many of which couldn't write or speak English at all.  The student behaviors were pretty bad too.  I was exhausted not from the actual teaching but all the other nonsense that was added on.  I left after two months - as did many others - just couldn't deal with it.  And too, a teacher who tried to voice the time constraints we were under at a meeting was fired immediately - KSU management is very autocratic. 

And when we were paid - we had to stand in line for hours because of the stupid insistence on signing a sheet and not telling us till we were at the head of the line, then we were sent back.  This happened in front of students the first month, which amused them.  The second month, we were bused to a run-down "resort" east of Riyadh on a very rainy evening, and forced to wait in line AGAIN but out in the rain!  Extreme disrespect and outright ignorance.  I'm glad I quit!

saudiman wrote:

I worked for EdEx for a couple of months after my bad experience wih AETG.  I am grateful for being able to go right into a new position so quckly and without going home first, but this experience was not as good as it could be, due to unrealistic expectations by the management of King Saud University's PYP program and general disorganization all around.

First of all, your visa allows only an entrance to Saudi, no exit.  So don't be surprised when you see it on the visa, no one told me beforehand, so I couldn't go to Bahrain or anywhere else.  It's the same visa normally given to laborers from South Asian countries.  But you do keep your passport, however a lot of teachers would run at the end of the month after payday.  Here's why...

The upper management of KSU must be in denial about the abilities of the male students.  There is a director there (DAVID MURPHY) that wanted us to teach very odd things such as Socratic Dialogue, added to a rushed schedule that didn't allow us time to focus on basic grammar points.  The test is all-important.  The number of "meetings" all teachers had to attend outside of class time was ridiculous, mostly regarding a lot of add-on programs run by Murphy and a few other Saudis who had been educated in the UK.  But it didn't reflect on the true abilities of the students themselves, many of which couldn't write or speak English at all.  The student behaviors were pretty bad too.  I was exhausted not from the actual teaching but all the other nonsense that was added on.  I left after two months - as did many others - just couldn't deal with it.  And too, a teacher who tried to voice the time constraints we were under at a meeting was fired immediately - KSU management is very autocratic. 

And when we were paid - we had to stand in line for hours because of the stupid insistence on signing a sheet and not telling us till we were at the head of the line, then we were sent back.  This happened in front of students the first month, which amused them.  The second month, we were bused to a run-down "resort" east of Riyadh on a very rainy evening, and forced to wait in line AGAIN but out in the rain!  Extreme disrespect and outright ignorance.  I'm glad I quit!

You are not having much luck hey, what are you still doing in Saudi?? Although if its any concolation seems organisation and time keeping is not a strong point for anyone in the country

Hello! I was just wondering just when someone would pose this question! Though I do not work at any assigned school as yet ( I'm still sitting here in the U.S. waiting for some word from them) , I have been sitting here in the U.S. waiting for some word of the whereabouts of my work visa. Would it be appropriate for me to name names at this point? The point person responsible for making all the arrangements has shown a total lack of communication; never receiving more than a few terse words, never more than a sentence when I pose questions that would command a direct answer. Days go by without any word at all, and though I've been told that my work visa is with the agent, I have not been given any instructions as to where it is, how to access it, what to send, etc. I could go on and on. The short of it is this; if said person representing English Experts is unable to make me feel comfortable coming to a different part of he world for employment, that person should make every effort to solve problems, answer questions, and deal with details in a timely fashion At this juncture, I still sit here, waiting, waiting, waiting for.....?????? I don't feel comfortable putting my employment life in the hands of those who show incompetence.
       In a few days I will accept a position in Dubai or Abu Dabi, in the U.A.E. The agency I'm dealing with is supremely professional and has it all under control. They got me placed in less than two weeks vs/ EngX who have kept me lingering for more than a month. Good luck with them.