Petrodollars, English Teachers
Here is some news about how Kazakhstan authorities are spending the petrodollars - actually, a very colorful illustration to the Dutch Disease concept with the presumed spendings on grand though useless projects like Astana, or simply irrelevant waste.
on Registan shares some information on the employment opportunity for the people, who somehow can teach English:
Kazakhstan has decided to spend some money on serious English education. A friend just leaving the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan has signed on for a promised $2000/month, plus reimbursed travel… Shortly after hearing this, I received an email and a phone call from two other former Peace Corps comrades that they had heard the salary might be pushed to $5000/month.
When I was a schoolboy, we had an English teacher from the Peace Corps. He was young and fun - but hardly a professional. Michael links to a job announcement, posted by the Kazakh Ministry of Education, and adds –
“I should point out that even if you totally lack ESL teaching experience, any native speaker of English with the patience to sit in a classroom for 25 hours a week would probably find a job with the right resume and references”.
Shall I remind that nearly 30 per cent of the population of Kazakhstan is officially below the poverty line, and the same amount of people are not having access to drinking water and sanitation?
on June 16th, 2008 at 8:52 am
The Peace Corps office in Kazakhstan sent the same information to the RPCV Kazakhstan list. Amazing how things have changed since I left Kazakhstan in late 1999.
on June 16th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
In fairness to Michael, he does note that this is probably similar to how the Saudis were forced into spending a certain percentage of money on education services. But I’m with you — even if that were the case, it still represents an appalling misplacement of priorities on the part of the West. And even if those weren’t in place, I wouldn’t trust Uncle Nazzy’s megalomania to do anything less.
That being said, Michael’s enthusiasm (and hell, my interest in it) is born of a desire to go see Kazakhstan again.
on June 17th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Excellent point!
People need food and housing to live more than an exotic international language. On the other hand, learning English can only expand the actual employment prospects of Kazakhstan’s citizens.
Balance and context, as ever, must be considered.
on August 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Hey anyone there can give me some info on ESL job in Kazakhsthan I am currently teaching in a S Korean University ,Please send me any info you have