Monday, SepteMber 19, 2016 khaleej times 8In focus

Recruiting teachers in the UAE

Number of international schools in the UAE

25,800

590

44,400

Number of full time teachers employed by international schools in the UAE

Number of students enrolled in international schools in the UAE

$5,966

325,100 590,450

$7,365

Average annual tuition fees at international schools in the UAE

Teacher quality demands higher payThe quality of a school never exceeds the quality of its teachers, and the ability to recruit high quality staff is essential for all schools.

Nalini Cook, Head of Research for the Middle East at The International School Consultancy, told Khaleej Times that recruitment of quality, qualified teachers is without doubt the “largest challenge all international schools in the UAE are facing right now”.

“Enrolment in many schools has been impacted by the slump in the oil and gas market. However, there’s still a huge demand for quality teachers at the schools. To get the best teachers, schools have to offer good salaries and benefits,” she said.

To be successful in their recruitment campaigns, the UAE schools need to offer packages which include not only good monetary options but professional development and career advancement opportunities too.

But what attracts teachers?Recruitment Manager for Teachers International

Consultancy, Gemma McSweeney, said there is a whole host of factors which determine whether a teacher chooses to work overseas or not.

“Many British teachers looking for international teaching jobs are not governed by salaries alone. This is particularly noticeable for such countries as the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.”

She said a huge number of teachers are attracted to these countries because of the tax free benefits, good accommodation packages and lifestyle, as well as the reasonable salary packages.

“For other teachers, particularly teachers moving overseas to work for the first time, the Westernised nature of such places as the UAE and Qatar make them very popular choices.”

kelly@khaleejtimes.com

The difference in month-ly salary between Indian expatriate SM and Brit-ish expatriate BR, is Dh15,400. But how

much do their job roles differ? Well, not a lot actually, because they are both teachers.

SM teaches Grade 6 to A-Level students at a British curriculum and Cambridge International Ex-aminations (CIE) school in Dubai. She’s been doing so for seven years now, but her teaching experience goes far beyond that.

Earning just Dh6,600 a month, she told Khaleej Times it leaves her with no savings at all.

“My salary doesn’t allow for luxu-ries. I have received regular incre-ments but they have been very mini-mal, even as low as Dh60 one year.”

Significantly younger than SM, BR is a primary school teacher at a British curriculum school. He is the head of his department, but his teaching duties closely mimic that of SM’s.

All in, BR’s total package, in-cluding accommodation, is Dh22,000.

“The salary is not that much higher here than it was in the UK, but what helps is the exchange rate, and obviously no tax means my take home is quite a lot higher.”

Despite earning more than he did in the UK, BR said his savings opportunities are limited due to the high living costs here.

But he earns significantly more than SM.

As a college lecturer in India, SM would take home just Dh2,100 a month. Despite getting three times more than that here, she said living expenses are taking its toll.

But her frustrations don’t stop there. “I have seen a huge difference in salaries for native English speak-

The disparity in teachers’ pay

Kelly Clarke

Expert says demand-supply equation hugely impacts teachers’ salaries; demand is for British curriculum schools and teachers

ers and non-native speakers. We are not less qualified or less experi-enced, but we are never given the same chance or same pay.”

So why is there such a disparity in pay among teachers here?

Although different education authorities regulate private schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (Knowl-edge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai and the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) in the Capital), neither of these authorities regulate teach-ers’ salaries.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, a spokesperson for KHDA said: “We look after private schools, and pri-vate businesses are able to set their own salary structure for teachers.”

The same rules apply in the country’s capital.

“Each private school is in charge of setting its own pay trends for their teachers,” an Adec spokes-person said.

As such, Khaleej Times reached out to several education institu-tions in the country to find out more on the issue.

Although some refused to com-ment, others were keen to share their insight.

The consensus here is that sala-ries in Asian curriculum schools are dramatically less compared to their western counterpart.

But for Clive Pierrepont, Direc-tor of Communications for Taal-eem, there should be no discrimi-nation in salaries.

“Our salary bands recognise re-sponsibility, experience and ex-pertise regardless of the section they work in whether KG, Primary or Secondary. Neither do we dis-criminate by nationality.”

At Taaleem, the average teach-er’s package is around Dh325,000 a year. Although many have called for a standardisation on salaries

here, Navin M Valrani, CEO of Ar-cadia Preparatory School, Dubai, said this would be harmful.

“I don’t think this is the answer. I should be able to pay a premium salary if the need is there.”

He told Khaleej Times that pay-ment of teachers’ salaries defers widely on the curriculum, and that is largely due to the demand-sup-ply equation.

“In the UAE, the demand is for UK curriculum schools, which in turn means there is a demand for British teachers. The salary for British teachers is on the rise be-cause supply is down.”

But he said with the demand for Indian teachers also on the rise, coupled with the fact that India has a high economic gross, salaries should be going up for them, too.

“If an operator wants to survive here, it needs to increase its salary offerings.”

And with the advent of new schools, he said the UAE is seeing an increase of about “20 per cent in packages” for teachers today.

kelly@khaleejtimes.com

Many British teachers looking for international teaching jobs are not governed by salaries alone. This is particularly noticeable for such countries as the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.”

Gemma McSweeney, Recruitment Manager for Teachers International

Consultancy

There’s still a huge demand for quality teachers at the schools. To get the best teachers, schools have to offer good salaries and benefits.”

Nalini Cook, Head of Research for the Middle East at The

International School Consultancy

The big issue in the education sector is that there is no standardisation of salaries at schools. Teachers with the same qualification and experience are paid different salaries with a variation of between Dh2.000 and Dh3,000. This is mostly due to their nationality. My husband holds a western passport and I cannot wait to get mine. However, I don’t understand how a passport will make me a better teacher. My salary is 60 per cent higher than what I would get in my homecountry, but because I am on my husband’s sponsorship, my salary is at least Dh4,000 to Dh8,000 lesser than other teachers.”

AAT – Syrian, music teacher at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Dubai

It’s too low to meet my expenses here, but I love the environment in my school. I am a Pakistani teacher living on my father’s residence visa. My total package is near to Dh2,000 only. I’m planning to get married in December and I’m worried how I will meet my expenses while living in the UAE.”

SK – Pakistani, KG teacher at an Indian school in Dubai

I have seen a huge difference in salaries for native English speakers and non-native speakers. We are not less qualified or less experienced, but we are never given the same chance or same pay.”

SM, an Indian expatriate teacher

Our salary bands recognise responsibility, experience and expertise regardless of the section they work in whether KG, Primary or Secondary. Neither do we discriminate by nationality.”

Clive Pierrepont, director of communications, Taaleem, Dubai

The salary is not that much higher here than it was in the UK, but what helps is the exchange rate, and obviously no tax means my take home is quite a lot higher,”

BR, a British expatriate teacher

In the UAE, the demand is for UK curriculum schools, which in turn means there is a demand for British teachers. The salary for British teachers is on the rise because supply is down.”

Navin M Valrani, CEO, Arcadia Preparatory School,

Dubai.

How to budget a teacher’s salary

The UAE teachers’ budget would primarily depend on the salary scales on which they work, said Atik Munshi, Managing Partner, Horwath mak. “Teacher salaries in Asian curriculum schools are normally dramatically less compared to their western counterpart. The budget of teachers would be different in the above scenario. Many teachers are paid housing allowance, airfare and insurance by the employer hence such a major component of the budget is taken care off,” he said.“For others, they would need to allocate 25-45 per cent of their monthly income towards rent. If the teacher is the main bread winner then his budget will work in a reverse manner which means he would decide the percentage of income which they want to save and only the balance would be utilised for various lifestyle expenses. For teachers who are not the bread winner in the family, most of the amount is used for their personal effects and the balance goes towards savings.”

Teachers’ salaries haven’t gone up for 10 years or so. I am on the same salary since 2008. My package is Dh17,800, plus flights and medical insurance. The cost of living has at least doubled. School fees have gone up, too. So, whatever you can save now is nowhere near what it used to be. When I first came here in 2002, salaries were really low, but they increased it as the number of private schools grew. If you compare my salary to other western expats it’s low. It’s also worth noting that 99 per cent of the UAE schools offer no pension or savings plan.”

VM - British, primary teacher at a SENCo school in Dubai

Premium schools> 17% of the international schools market in the UAE are the premium schools. Of these schools:> 49% of all teaching staff are British, 15% are North American, 7% are other European, and 5% are from Australia and New Zealand. Under 1% of all teachers at the premium schools in the UAE are local.> The average annual salary range for full time teachers at these schools during the 2015-2016 academic year was between $34,220 (approx. Dh126,000) and $54,587 (approx Dh200,000).

383

Source: The International School Consultancy

2012 2016

325,000Dirhams is the average

teacher’s package per annum at Taaleem

Atik Munshi

How to allocate teacher’s salary (as the breadwinner):30-40% on rent

20-30% on food & related expenses

10-15% on transport, electricity

5% for other bills

5% for healthcare

5% for emergencies or savings