Hundreds of teachers are ready to begin new roles as UAE schools prepare to reopen for the first time since March.
The new academic year gets under way on August 30 and will usher in the start of a new life in the UAE for many new overseas recruits.
Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, some schools put their recruitment plans on hold, while others press ahead with remote interviews and flights.
Taaleem, which operates 13 schools across the Emirates, is set to welcome 127 new teachers, 52 of which are international hires from countries such as the UK and US.
Kate Fisher, head of human resources at Taaleem, said all of its international hires were recruited before the outbreak.
Teachers we did place faced challenges getting their documents attested, as departments and embassies were closed
“When the pandemic started we refocused our recruitment strategy to ensure that we secured more hires from staff that were already settled in the UAE,” she said.
“From the start of the lockdown, when borders were closed and we had no firm assurances of new overseas hires being guaranteed entry into the UAE, we commenced an alternative recruitment strategy to our normal global search.
“Any vacancies we had after the Covid-19 pandemic were interviewed for locally.”
She said they would process work visas for the new international hires once they have arrived in the country.
And unlike some schools in the Emirates, all staff, old and new, were reassured that their positions were secure and salary packages remained the same.
At the British School Al Khubairat (BSAK) in Abu Dhabi, seven new teachers were recruited for the new academic year, including two international hires.
Mark Leppard, headmaster at BSAK, said his school has managed to get permission for teachers to fly in to the capital.
"The two teachers recruited from overseas are currently seeking approval to travel and will be arriving to Abu Dhabi this week," he said.
"We have had to do our staff induction through video calls, rather than in school, and we have started this earlier so that those coming into Abu Dhabi can self-isolate for at least two weeks before the school starts on August 30, as mandated by the government."
Primary teacher Megan Pankhurst, from London, will arrive in Dubai on August 13 to start work at Dubai British School – Jumeirah Park.
“I applied for the job in December, was interviewed in January and received an offer a few days later,” the 26-year-old said.
“There was a little concern about my job security when the pandemic started to progress globally, but I have friends that live in Dubai and things seemed quite under control as they acted quickly.
“I also received email updates from my new headteacher in Dubai who assured me that it was still their intention to get me out there, even if distance learning was still in place. That reassurance helped.”
Joining the same school, 27-year-old Eydom Shimeles is due to land in Dubai on Sunday. She secured her position as a primary school teacher in January.
“When the pandemic hit, I felt torn as life had been put on hold,” she said.
“I was also worried about moving to another country and getting sick while being so far from home, but I’m looking forward to it now.”
For months, she has been teaching children of key workers in the UK and said it will be daunting heading back to a socially distanced classroom.
“For the last four months in my school in London I’ve been teaching very small groups of children, loosely following the national curriculum.
“Going back to a class of 30 kids is going to feel very different for them and me, but I’m excited.”
The teacher recruitment season has changed significantly this year, said Diane Jacoutot, managing director at Edvectus, an international school recruitment agency.
“From April to July, we saw a 47 per cent drop in job vacancies and a 50 per cent drop in teacher registrations,” she said.
“Teachers we did place faced challenges getting their documents attested, as the state departments and embassies were closed.
“Uncertainty drives a lack of commitment from all parties.”
In terms of salaries, she said some schools in the UAE had cut offers by as much as 40 per cent, particularly schools that have moderate tuition fees of Dh18,000 per year and below.
“This has caused an exodus of teachers looking for a better package with or without their current school’s knowledge.”
In April, teachers who spoke to The National said they had no option but to quit work after being asked to take long-term unpaid leave with no guarantee of a job to return to.
Others had been informed of a significant cut in salary just days before being paid, with some of the reductions a permanent fixture.
Roddy Hammond, chief executive for Worldteachers Recruitment, said some schools in the UAE had continued to interview international candidates, but in reduced numbers.
“The usual recruitment we do with some government schools has been effectively put on hold with no interviews, no contracts being issued and no mobilisation taking place,” he said.
“Currently, we have around 50 government teachers from overseas ready to mobilise in August, it was more than 100 last year.
"One Dubai school we work with is mobilising 17 teachers from the UK next week.
“We have worked very closely with the school and the teachers, they have needed reassurance that their jobs are still safe."
For the first time ever, he said teachers were also offered contracts which were later cancelled, leaving teachers scrambling to find alternative employment.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Super Saturday results
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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Specs
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How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Persuasion
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
More on Quran memorisation:
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Read more about the coronavirus
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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