Teaching jobs in cyprus

[sugarbabe]

Hi,
I am a qualified teacher with a Bsc Degree in Design and Technology, how can I get started in a school in Cyprus, does anyone know of a teaching agency. Myself and my partner have bought a house off plan which is now ready in the konia region of paphos and we are looking now to move to paphos but i need to try and get a teaching job before we move. Does anyone know of any secondary teaching jobs or any teaching agencies I can contact.
Thanks

[BabsM]

Originally Posted by sugarbabe

Hi,
I am a qualified teacher with a Bsc Degree in Design and Technology, how can I get started in a school in Cyprus, does anyone know of a teaching agency. Myself and my partner have bought a house off plan which is now ready in the konia region of paphos and we are looking now to move to paphos but i need to try and get a teaching job before we move. Does anyone know of any secondary teaching jobs or any teaching agencies I can contact.
Thanks

I suggest you search through the internet for individual schools and write to them. You could also try looking at the adverts in the Cyprus Mail.

You should be aware that some Heads may not take you seriously if you are not in living Cyprus when you apply.

[kimonas]

Teaching jobs within the state system are civil servant posts - there are huge waiting lists and they are open to Cypriot nationals only and those people that have special dispensation to be put on the list (arcane rules apply and it is the equivalent of the old 'must be accompanied by maternal and paternal great great grandparents to apply' syndrome). State schools are the only ones currently teaching your subject (and Universities/colleges, but to teach in these the growing trend is for campus directors to be looking for PhD qualified staff). There is a private school in the Larnaca District which is currently debating the introduction of Design Technology. You should also be prepared for a low salary - experience doesn't count for much, I'm afraid, and even for well qualified staff the starting salaries can be as low as 750euros a month. The private schools can also be reluctant to hire UK teachers unless they have a demonstrable tie to Cyprus (property/marriage/family) as in the past they have been badly let down by UK teachers who think that the sun will not stop shining and that their weak salaries will easily cover a good life and the winter heating bill. When it doesn't and they run back to the UK, they sometimes disappear without giving notice leaving school directors in a pickle. Like Babs said, it's better to be living in Cyprus and see people face to face than send out CVs. In my experience, if a job does become available, it is more likely to be given to a friend of a friend of the Director's daughters cousin's wife than a resonably well qualified and experienced teacher who has sent in her CV (one of the reasons why agencies are not really of much use - and I don't know of any). Sorry to be so negative, but finding a job in this field will be difficult (...but not impossible).

[sugarbabe]

Originally Posted by kimonas

Teaching jobs within the state system are civil servant posts - there are huge waiting lists and they are open to Cypriot nationals only and those people that have special dispensation to be put on the list (arcane rules apply and it is the equivalent of the old 'must be accompanied by maternal and paternal great great grandparents to apply' syndrome). State schools are the only ones currently teaching your subject (and Universities/colleges, but to teach in these the growing trend is for campus directors to be looking for PhD qualified staff). There is a private school in the Larnaca District which is currently debating the introduction of Design Technology. You should also be prepared for a low salary - experience doesn't count for much, I'm afraid, and even for well qualified staff the starting salaries can be as low as 750euros a month. The private schools can also be reluctant to hire UK teachers unless they have a demonstrable tie to Cyprus (property/marriage/family) as in the past they have been badly let down by UK teachers who think that the sun will not stop shining and that their weak salaries will easily cover a good life and the winter heating bill. When it doesn't and they run back to the UK, they sometimes disappear without giving notice leaving school directors in a pickle. Like Babs said, it's better to be living in Cyprus and see people face to face than send out CVs. In my experience, if a job does become available, it is more likely to be given to a friend of a friend of the Director's daughters cousin's wife than a resonably well qualified and experienced teacher who has sent in her CV (one of the reasons why agencies are not really of much use - and I don't know of any). Sorry to be so negative, but finding a job in this field will be difficult (...but not impossible).

Thank you for a very good response and points that have been noted. Our house is ready in two days time, and we start paying off the housing loan. Our initial idea was for myself to get a teaching job and my partner believe it or not has 30 years experience as civil servant working for the DWP. We are both over 40 and to be honest are looking to make a fresh start in warm climate hence the reason of buying in konia. Do you know the name of the school in Larnaca, because im over on the 12th April and will try and get to see as many schools as possible
Thanks again for your time in answering this post.

[kimonas]

The school is part of the Mediterranean Schools group which includes a number of private english medium schools in the Larnaca district and also a college all under the same management structure. Probably the best way to get in touch with them would be to e-mail them with the subject 'Design Technology' from their website (Google Med High School Cyprus). The administrator is very efficient and will make sure your CV gets to the right people.

The problem will be distance as the School is not within commutable distance of Konia.

[sugarbabe]

Originally Posted by kimonas

The school is part of the Mediterranean Schools group which includes a number of private english medium schools in the Larnaca district and also a college all under the same management structure. Probably the best way to get in touch with them would be to e-mail them with the subject 'Design Technology' from their website (Google Med High School Cyprus). The administrator is very efficient and will make sure your CV gets to the right people.

The problem will be distance as the School is not within commutable distance of Konia.

Thank you kimonsas for the information