1. Monday, SepteMber 19, 2016 khaleej times8
In 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
Teacherqualitydemandshigherpay
The 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, toldKhaleej
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
T
he difference in month-
lysalarybetweenIndian
expatriate SM and Brit-
ish expatriate BR, is
Dh15,400. But how
muchdotheirjobrolesdiffer?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.
“Mysalarydoesn’tallowforluxu-
ries. I have received regular incre-
mentsbuttheyhavebeenverymini-
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,
butwhathelpsistheexchangerate,
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
opportunitiesarelimitedduetothe
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. “Ihaveseenahugedifference
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
ersandnon-nativespeakers.Weare
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
authoritiesregulateprivateschools
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’spackageisaroundDh325,000
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
hasahigheconomicgross,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
AtikMunshi
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