Teacher recruitment in UAE schools is impacted by global competition

dubai — Despite 10 new schools opening their doors to students in Dubai this September, it seems teacher recruitment trends here have been impacted by competition in rival countries.

The number of international schools is seeing phenomenal growth globally, and with that comes fierce competition for the very best educators.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Garrett O’Dowd, founder of Teach and Explore (an educational recruitment agency) said although they are sending about 200 teachers from Ireland to the UAE this September, there has been a lot more rivalry this year — especially from Asian countries.

“We sent a similar number of teachers in 2016, so numbers are not down, but this year the competition has definitely increased, especially from good international schools in China.”

With salaries “stagnating in the

We have about 90 teachers coming over, but that’s 30 less than last year.” Yinka Coker, Intelligent Partners

UAE”, O’Dowd said they are in fact increasing in Asia and that’s what is drawing teachers to that region. The better cost of living in Asian countries is also adding to that appeal.

On the upside, however, he said interest towards job roles in the UAE still remains high as the education sector continues to grow.

While teacher salaries are stagnating in the UAE, they are in fact increasing in Asia.” Garret O’Dowd, Teach and Explore

Competition drives quality

The stability of a teaching job in the UAE, as well as its generous salary and benefit packages has long been a draw for many young teachers here. But this year, Yinka Coker, senior recruiter at Intelligent Partners, said its numbers have dipped in comparison to 2016.

“When it comes to recruiting overseas teachers this year, numbers are down.

“We have about 90 coming over, that’s 30 less than last year. In 2015, we brought over 110.”

In terms of demographics, Coker said the majority — about 50 per cent — are coming from the US, with the remaining coming from Canada, Ireland and the UK.

Why numbers are dropping here

“In my experience, it’s a lot harder to attract teachers to the Middle East now because they are seeing opportunities in other regions,” Coker said.

“China, for instance, is paying crazy money, which is driving that competition up. But although money is a big pull for teachers, experiencing a different culture is also top of the list.” In some instances, Asia offers a more alternative lifestyle compared to the UAE, he added.

Coker pointed out that although salary packages in the UAE are good on the whole — averaging anywhere between Dh12,000Dh15,000 with accommodation on top, with some teachers even securing up to Dh17,000 — packages have remained steady in the UAE over the past few years, “with no market increments”.

“As such, you’ve now got countries like Sudan, Tanzania, and South Africa offering big salaries for English-speaking teachers. That’s a big lure for many.”

With more and more counties now using money to attract teachers, it is steadily driving up competition in the Middle East.

“But demand is still there in the UAE, as new schools are constantly opening,” Coker said.

Catering to both the public and private schools in the UAE (including 15 private schools), about 80 per cent of Intelligent Partner’s 90 new recruits will be new teachers, having around two to three years experience in teaching.

“We didn’t record any demand for leadership roles in the UAE this year, despite the new schools opening,” he said.

kelly@khaleejtimes.com