Campbells

Hi,

All sounds great and I can relate as Africa gets in your blood.

I am not trying to dampen your excitement or love of the country but I am curious how you relate to the potential threat in terms of your safety over there.

As you can read on this forum it is probably the biggest concern.

Also , have you worked in other countries that you can relate SA to ?

Really it sounds like in your profession the world is your oyster.

Where are you based at the moment?

If you don’t mind me being personal are you going alone ?

Cheers

Campbells

Reading this article I am not surprised there is a shortage of teachers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7292818.stm

Obviously you are prepared for this, right

Good luck

Pugsy

I must say as a woman, I'm always when people, especially women, express an intent to go live in SA. Obviously it is their choice and respect to them for trying something different, but I fear for them. I fear for my SA family back there too, but at least they have witnessed the slaughter escalating over the last 10-12 years and have no illusions left. They know they are fair game, even tucked up in bed in their homes, but do their best to keep safe and protect themselves, it doesn't always work, if you know what I mean, but they try to up their odds.

What I would say to anyone going is this; don't sell up your UK property yet, ie. your exit strategy. Keep some sterling in your UK account (your ZAR currency is worthless on an international level and you will only realise this if you decide to leave... or when you want to take the kids to Disneyland! Don't think you're immune to crime, don't think it won't happen to you, although let's hope it doesn't. Read the threads on security and crime. The roads are extremely dangerous, you will not believe the death toll in accidents, so buy a decent car with exellent NCAP crash ratings. Get your Medical Aid before you go.

Plus, leave the rose tinted glasses at the airport check-in, you will be living in a dangerous 3rd world country, where you are the ethnic minority. G'luck.

lizzibeth

Have you been in a British classroom lately? A pupil was violently attacked in a classroom in my school only last week. The boy who did it got sent home for the day, nothing more. I've been attacked myself, if I had struck out to defend myself I would probably have lost my job.

Pablo

By all means go. But please, please don't try to make out the situation in UK schools is in any way comparable. How many schoolgirls are raped while they are at school in the UK?

Pugsy

I realise you are referring to Campbells post, but with respect it is not the same thing. Life is so cheap in SA, there is no regard for human life, none and everyone has guns, see the problem... and for women, the culture of rape, rape, rape cannot be underestimated. But still you've done your research and know all this, so live your dream and good luck.

Daxk

Lizzibeth, I think you should go,if only to cure yourself of any desire to return.

I assume you will teach in a private school anyway as the Department of education have done a number of un-educated things in the past 14 years.
The first was to advise all Govt School Teachers that they were going to a needs assesment and that the clause in their Contracts meant that they could be redeployed to Township/ Rural Schools to assist with skills transfer.
Which is very commendable but impractical in terms of safety at the time.
If I recall that caused a 40% departure rate.

Next they closed Teachers training Colleges,amalgamated others with technical colleges and in 1995 there were 200,000 Trainee Teachers studying, 2007 was 80,000 in 25 Dedicated Colleges.

Lastly, along with the Police,Medical,Fire Departments, the teachers have had the lowest salary increases of anyone.

As to violence? I have no experience or knowledge of UK schools so cant comment.
I do however know that in SA there are a lot of Older youngsters still in School,That High School girls get Maternity Leave and that a lot of Schools are now installing Metal detectors to try and cut down on the knives and guns
Lizzibeth, please keep us posted on what it's like..
Nice pic of a great "Shiner" in yesterdays News24 on a young Teacher who got thumped by a student.

lizzibeth

I've met several South African teachers who are currently teaching in the UK. Some have come for experience abroad, a couple are older and have come because of the poor salaries in SA and they want to save for their pension. The one thing they all agree on is they they would much rather be teaching in South African schools! They have major problems adapting to the attitudes and behaviour of our kids here.
I'm in the fortunate position, I can leave money in the bank here as a backup. I have a place to come back to. All the times I've come home from SA in the last few years I called a teaching agency and literally started work the next day. I've spent a good 18 months total in the area I want to live and work and I've met other UK expats who are very happy there and would not leave.
I think the US lead the way in installing metal detectors in schools and as for getting thumped by a student, already been there!
Don't get me wrong. I'm well aware of all the other issues that are constantly brought up on this forum but I haven't changed my mind.

Daxk

Well lizzibeth, go and God speed.
If your eyes are open and you can change just one kids life, I can only wish you well.

AudsFrmSA

Just make sure you teach at a Private School!

Devonfamily

Mmmm..... like most of us who have actually been brought up and lived in South Africa have said - things in SA are NOT good at all!

My comment is: "Sometimes people have to learn the hard way".

Good luck if you really love the place and think it's the right place for you - but lets hope you do not become another statistic in South Africa. Alot of us on this forum have lived there and experienced the brutality of the violence, rape, hijackings, murder etc. But sometimes people just don't listen and understand the seriousness of how bad things REALLY are in South Africa now

Rose tinted spectacles - well sorry but in my opinion - yip!

Tegwyn

I do agree. Most people think crime happens to other people - until it happens to them. If you put yourself in the firing line, the odds of getting hit are pretty good and that spells out what is happening there anymore. Some would much rather glib over the obvious. They then will probably have to feel before they want to hear.

Brav

Love it how people compare SA crime and say 'crime happens everywhere'. Yea well not as frequent, severe and in the greatest amount of numbers. The greatest murder, rape and assault rate per capita in the entire world is something to really ponder about that nation.
It isn't known as the 'rape capital' of the world for nothing



Assaults 535,461 [2nd of 57]
Car thefts 99,963 [10th of 55]
Murders with firearms 31,918 [1st of 32]
Murders with firearms (per capita) 0.719782 per 1,000 people [1st of 32]
Prisoners 180,952 prisoners [8th of 164]
Rapes 53,008 [2nd of 65]
Rapes (per capita) 1.19538 per 1,000 people [1st of 65]
Total crimes 3,422,740 [5th of 60]
Total crimes (per capita) 77.1862 per 1,000 people [10th of 60]

Tegwyn

And just another senseless murder. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?s...0140787C640605

Brav

Surprised people haven't gotten pissed off to the point they just obtain automatic rifles illegally and start taking out suspected criminals. Revolution