Teaching English in Saudi

So you want to be a teacher in Saudi huh? No problem. First and foremost, teaching is a talent and a gift. Not everyone is cut out for it. A brother with just a TEFL cert from an 8 hour course may be a better teacher than a brother with many qualifications. That is the first thing you must understand. Although teaching is an easy way to get in to Saudi, make sure you are ready for such a career decision. Teaching in Saudi and the Gulf alone takes talent and patience and one needs to be prepared.

Now if you are a professional teacher and have been doing so for years or you’ve just finished going to school for it and Saudi is your first career move then you are in for a shock. Forget just about everything you’ve learned because it simply doesn’t exist here on that level. When you get here you need to understand that this – whether we choose to accept it or not – is still a developing nation as it relates to education and technology. It does not matter how much money they have here, it’s still developing and they are still learning.

One of the best things about teaching here is the vacation schedule in my opinion. While everyone gets a Ramadan and Hajj breaks it seems that schools get a longer break during those periods. There is also spring break and summer break. This could total out to be around 60 or more days a year depending on where you are working. The best part about it is they are all paid days.

I’ve categorized the whole teaching scene into sectors. I have also put a rating with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. Please note that this represents my experience here and other brothers here may have more positive or negative experiences. Also, this represents the male perspective. Teaching on the woman’s side is different.

Government Schools:
Rating: 9

From elementary to high school these jobs are Saudized. I do not know of one western teacher working in a Saudi government school. Colleges and Universities on the other hand are different. While there is a push to Saudize this sector as well, I do not think it would ever happen.

Teaching in the colleges and universities here is probably one of the best teaching jobs you will get. The hours and pay are great and getting a job at one of the colleges is simple with the right qualifications. Usually if you are teaching English they will look for a Masters in TESOL and up however a lot of the schools will make concessions. It all depends on when you apply and how you apply. For example, if you are applying at crunch time and the school is in serious need of teachers then they will make an exception on your qualifications but you may still need experience. If you are applying from the US then it’s a little difficult to get in with just a bachelors degree but if you come over it’s a lot easier.

Depending on where you work and your experience you can expect to get at least 9000 and up. If you get an offer for less than this then do NOT accept it. This is the government and it’s a college. They have the money to pay you so do not be impatient and settle for anything just because you want to be in Saudi. You WILL regret it later. I will touch on this topic a bit later.

Military establishments:
Rating: 7

The salary and package is just about the same as teaching at a college or university. The hours of work may vary. They also ask for Masters and the likes but there are always exceptions in Saudi. The students can be categorized as drop outs, students who could not get into college due to low grades, bedouins who are not really down with the whole school thing or all of the above in one package. Others may actually be there because they want to have military careers like their fathers. I have seen these students with my own eyes and have spoken to those who currently teach or used to teach in these facilities. They all say that there is a behavioral problem. Sometimes these students can be out of control which to me is a bit shocking considering this is supposed to be the military. You really need patience when teaching at these spots so if you get a job here then prepare for it like you are going into battle because you are. You can use your experience here as a springboard to getting on at a college or university.

Private Schools:
Rating: 0

This is where most will get their feet in the door. Private schools are businesses and if you have the investment this is the way to go for a Saudi businessman. Notice I said “businessman”. No real educator owns or runs most of these schools and that’s part of the problem. While many owners have good intentions they become blinded when that money starts to roll in. The money is what governs the school and its policies and nothing else. This means as a professional teacher you will suffer as there will be no real educational standards. You will given books and parachuted into a battleground with no support and told to teach. If there are any rules, policies, or procedures then you can be sure it’s just for show and a means to attract more paying parents. Anything that will cause the money flow to come to snail’s pace or move to another private school will not be tolerated. You can forget about policies and procedures that protect you as a teacher. At the end of the day, the student is always right. You can forget about the administration supporting you. At the end of the day, you were wrong regardless of any circumstance. The administration is only looking at the fact that you may have just scared away their money. This is a business and you are expected to support the BUSINESS. Education is only a secondary concern. I have talked to many parents about this dilemma and they all say the same thing, most of the private schools first open their doors they are popular then eventually they go downhill. When a school goes downhill then they will have no need for westerners and the education becomes no better than a Saudi public school. There can be only one reason why these schools eventually fail and that is greed. In my opinion, I have met very few Arab businessmen except that they are greedy. They fail to realize that money is not the sole goal but it’s a result of offering a quality service. If you offer quality education then the parents will practically beg to get into your school. I have never met a Saudi who really understands that concept. This is the reality of private schools. You can sit and debate the issues and research all day with the administration. All they want is the money.

For what you have to put up with I can surely say that the pay is in no way worth it. These schools usually pay between 5500 and 8500. The teaching contact hours vary depending on how short staffed the school is. The contract you signed may say you work 7-2pm from Saturday to Wednesday but the small print is left out. You will be slaving over lesson plans and grading papers on your days off. As a business, the school may want to make extra cash by having an after school program so you can go ahead and add that to your hours. There may be a summer school program so enjoying your vacation will be short lived. These schools are a serious strain on family and brotherhood. You can forget about trying to sit and study Arabic and the religion as well. Time is just not there.

If you are in a school where the majority of the teachers are Muslims and SALAFEE then you want to be on the lookout for what I call “the plant”. This is a person put in place by the administration of these business ventures called private schools to watch the teachers. Each and every brother working in these private schools all over the Kingdom and beyond that I have spoken with can tell you about their experiences with “the plant”. This is usually a brother who has been hyped up by the administration so much so that he begins to believe his own press. After being hyped up, this individual usually has only one aspiration in mind and that is the dunyah. He is now looking at adding a few lines to his resume. This may ultimately mean that the brotherhood amongst the teachers is in jeopardy. In every situation, be it in UAE, Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam, this individual has led to dividing the brothers and creating an unhealthy work environment. The administration of these schools puts this guy in charge because they know the Salafees have limits on what they will and will not do. The plant has to report back to the administration about who is or who is not doing what. Remember that his aspiration is the dunyah so he may not be Salafee or may be weak in the manhaj which means it’s easier for him to damage the brotherhood and not think anything about it. Everyone I know in these private schools has complained of this problem. So be on the lookout and don’t you become “the plant”. It is not worth dividing the brotherhood for someone else’s business venture.

Institutes
Rating: 3.5

This is another business venture and most of them are managed as such. Unless it’s a well known franchise, institutes are not reliable employment. In fact, even if it is a franchise you still cannot count on it. Typical starting salary can range from 6000 to 14000 depending on the institute, its popularity, and its location. Many of them hire on single status but again there are exceptions if you pay for your own family to come in. The students vary. Some are sent from major companies and others are those who finally figured out the importance of learning English if you want to get a good paying job in Saudi. I have never had any real problems with institute students and many of them can be pretty hard workers. My experience in the institute world has always been part time and that’s how I like it but for those going full time then be cautious. Institutes are notorious for late salaries. You may not get paid for 2 to 3 months straight. The bottom line is you are paid if they get paid. If the institute didn’t get any new students this month then salaries will be late. Another major drawback with institutes is the split shift. That means you work 8-12 and 4-8. You may also work additional hours depending on class size. In Ramadan you may be working until midnight. Sometimes Thursdays are used for preparation and meetings so there’s half of your weekend. If you have a family then such a schedule can be stressful. If you don’t mind the schedule then it’s not a bad job to have but make sure you do your research about the institute and its reputation. If you hear that an institute has a bad reputation then don’t take the risk. Institutes come and go. One day it’s here and the next day it doesn’t exist and you’re back on the plane.

Tutoring
Rating: 5.5

The above rating would depend solely on your dedication. Tutoring is usually done on the side. If you can manage to get a sponsor who doesn’t really care what you are doing, tutoring can be used as your primary source of income. First thing you need to do is develop a good tutoring routine and program. You need to make sure you keep the bar raised when tutoring. Some brothers have been lowering the bar and ruining it for the rest. Each city and region has its own pricing. In the Eastern Province I used to charge kids 80 or 85 an hour with a minimum of 4 hours per week. If a parent could not commit to the time then I would not teach the child. For adults I used to charge 100 an hour with a minimum of 4 hours per week. I would take all fees up front, no exceptions. Why take fees up front? Because Saudis are not reliable. You may have taken time out of your busy schedule and the student does not show. Not only do you lose time but you don’t get paid. Not good. If you get your money up front then he will surely show up at your door because he paid for a service. I would take from 3 to 4 students and teach them at one time at my home. I never go to a student’s house. Going to his house means you have to use your gas money to go to different locations. Teaching at your house means you can do everyone in one shot. Students may try to say, “But I really want private lessons”. Don’t fall for it. Tell them it is better to have another student in the class he can practice using English with. The only problem with tutoring is that it may not be steady income. People cancel.

Some cons of teaching in the Kingdom.

Teaching in Saudi can be a challenge. The Saudi education system is not all it’s cracked up to be. Frankly speaking, it's a bad situation. Many students can care less about English. In a class of 15 or 20 there may be 1 or 2 who actually cares about learning. What and how you envisioned a college or elementary school to be is NOT what you will find here. What and how you've learned is not how it is done here so do not expect your students to come even close to that. You will have to deal with the results of a poor system which means laziness, lethargy, and an unwillingness to succeed from the majority of your students. There will be students who feel they have a sense of entitlement to speak and treat you in any way they choose. These students will make you want to slap them but of course you cannot do that can you? On the other hand, you can treat them with the same amount of respect that they give you. I used to put them in their place immediately.

In your teaching tour of duty you will see things that will cause you to become disillusioned and cynical. What you will see is not just a Saudi problem but a problem that affects the entire region. At this stage you need to be careful with your tongue and fear Allaah. I have seen good Salafee brothers speak ill of the rulers after teaching under these circumstances. It’s not for you to come here and think it’s supposed to be like America or the West. You need to be realistic and look at why the people are they way they are from a historical viewpoint and focus on the 1 or 2 students who really want to learn and teach them how to succeed. That will be more fulfilling to you than battling an unsupportive administration and the rest of the students who do not want to learn.

The teaching scene is pretty much a mixed environment of both Muslim and non Muslim teachers. You might even get caught out there with women in the mix. Depending on the school, as a Muslim you will be challenged. Yes, even in Saudi Arabia your deen is challenged. Do not be surprised if you are not allowed to wear your thobe. Do not be surprised if the kuffar say negative things about Islaam and the administration does nothing about it. In fact the administration may accuse YOU of being extreme. My advice is for you to not bring religion to job. Yes, I know it sounds strange but the kuffar and weak “progressive” Muslims who love and support them will plot against you and have you removed. Go to work, shut up, play the dumb Muslim who just accepted Islam yesterday, and go home! It's as simple as that.

I would like to add on to a point I alluded to earlier regarding brothers accepting any salary just to be in Saudi. In my opinion these brothers are a problem and one of the primary reasons why Muslims are paid less than non Muslims even though they may have the same qualifications if not more. Most companies know that as a Muslim, you would do anything to get your feet on some Saudi sand. Because they know this, they exploit this opportunity. Do not be a fool and fall for it. Do not settle for the, “You will be able to make umrah monthly and hajj yearly…” You are worth just as much as Chuck (what we call the non Muslim around here). Those brothers who have accepted low paying salaries have unfortunately ruined Muslims' chances at getting what they are worth by lowering the standard. You should not accept less than what the job is really worth for someone with your experience so do your research. Do not sell out the rest of the Muslims simply because you want to be in Saudi. Typically your package will include your basic salary, housing or housing allowance (three times your monthly salary per year), medical insurance for you and your family, and tickets home once a year. Nothing less! Some schools are only hiring single status adults which means you will not be allowed to bring your family. There are exceptions if you agree to pay for everything related to bringing your family so you need to ask first.

If you are new to the whole working in Saudi thing then I would recommend you send your contract to a brother who has been here and knows the ropes. Let him make suggestions for you and find the loop holes before you sign on to a gig. I would be more than happy to help brothers in this area. There is also another brother who offers this service if I am unavailable. The only charge is that you make dua for me.

Brothers, please do not send me resumes or ask me to assist in finding teaching jobs. I do not have the time to take on such a task right now.