The main challenge for teacher recruitment throughout the Gulf region is that demand is still outstripping supply, experts said a major education forum that opened today (September 29) in Dubai, UAE.

The International and Private Schools Education Forum (IPSEF) will run until October 1 at the Dubai Knowledge Village Auditorium.

Roddy Hammond, CEO, Worldteachers, UK-based education recruitment experts and one of the featured speakers at the IPSEF Dubai conference, said the demand for international teachers is among the top three challenges facing schools in the Gulf region.

“The other two are choosing the most effective ways to attract candidates, and having the best processes to reduce delays and avoid losing good candidates,” he added.

According to Hammond, each city has its own set of factors that make it attractive.  “Dubai is the best known that most expats identify as a very exciting and safe place to live and visit.  Abu Dhabi is not quite as high in expats’ minds but those who have done research conclude that there is not a huge difference,” he said.

“Qatar is gaining more interest, particularly through its association with the World Cup.  Saudi Arabia is popular with some expats, for example, if they are Muslim, they have a closer association due to their religious ties. It is recognised that teachers are likely to save much more money in Saudi Arabia due to higher than average salaries and less things to spend your money on,” Hammond noted.

Based on Worldteachers’ historical data, expat teachers consider competitive compensation packages as the primary factor for accepting teaching positions in the Gulf, citing additional benefits such as such as free accommodation and free transportation that allow them to save a high proportion of their salary.

Other top factors include being able to teach in a safe and stable environment, the English language being very widely spoken, having many shopping and tourist attractions; as well as, in some schools, very modern facilities and excellent resources.

“The growth of the international schools in the Middle East has led to an increasing number of expatriate educators filling in critical teaching positions in many places across the region. We hope that the sessions we have dedicated to international teacher recruitment will help decision makers fill in the gap in their schools, by learning where and how to attract expat teachers more effectively and efficiently,” said Rhona Greenhill, co-founder IPSEF.

According to the latest data from ISC Research (part of The International School Consultancy), about 48 per cent of all full time teaching staff in Qatar are from the UK, 22 per cent are from North America and 5 per cent are Australian. About 4 per cent of the full time teaching staff in Qatar is local.

In Saudi Arabia’s premium international schools, 24 per cent are from the UK and 23 per cent from North America. 4 per cent are local.

The vast majority of international schools in the UAE (currently a total of 526 employing over 39,000 full time teachers) are considered to be premium international schools. Of the teachers in these premium schools in the UAE 47 per cent are from the UK, 13 per cent from North America and less than 1 per cent are local.

The global international schools market is growing at pace. In January 2015 international schools around the world were employing a total of 353,000 full time teaching staff. By 2020, ISC Research predicts there will be a need for 503,000 full time teachers. If international school standards are to continue, this will require the employment of teachers who have the skills and experience to teach the globally recognised curricula such as the National Curriculum of England, the International Baccalaureate and an American curriculum.

Based on the current figures and historical trends, ISC Research predicts that the UAE will be demanding at least 14,000 more expatriate teachers within the next five years.

“This will hopefully help fill the gap for educators as the growth of the international and private schools sector in the Emirates continues its growth trajectory. Like many others in the Gulf region, the UAE is investing heavily in developing its education sector, as a key driver for future growth,” said Greenhill. – TradeArabia News Service