General Information                                             

The Sultanate of Oman -Some Facts and Figures

Muscat - the Capital City

The Colleges of Applied Sciences

The English Department                                       

Guidelines for the teacher                                     

An Orientation                                                                                                     

Living in Oman

What to bring                                                  

The climate                                                     

Finance                                                                                                                             

Housing                                                          

Phones - Land and Mobile                                      

Useful Websites and Telephone Numbers

The Sultanate of Oman

Some fact and figures

Area                      309,500 sq kms

Capital                    Muscat

Population              around 2,331 ,319  people

Official language    Arabic

Religion                 Islam

Currency               Omani Riyal= 2.85 U.S

Other cities           Nizwa, Sohar, Salalah, Sur and Ibri

Climate                  Summer May - October 40 - 50 degrees Celsius .

                             Rest of the year  pleasant mid 20's with cool nights

                             Monsoon weather in Salalah in summer

MUSCAT - THE CAPITAL

Muscat is the hub of Oman and is situated on the Gulf of Oman in the north - east . It is a city of amazing contrasts. The city is large and quite cosmopolitan.

While it is decidedly Islamic, there are many forms of entertainment to cater for the  most tastes. Restaurants are varied; there are English films in cinemas; there is a Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. Western hotels also offer a variety of entertainments.

The Mutrah Souk is a must where you can bargain over Omani silver and artefacts, spices, incense, clothing, shoes and Omani wooden chests, not to mention the gold shops.

Shopping is varied. There are a number of shopping centers that provide a variety of foodstuff - Carrefour has opened a new supermarket centre in Muscat where you can find all types of western and oriental food to suit all tastes. In addition, there are various malls throughout Muscat where a wide variety may be purchased.

If you want to buy alcohol public sale of such is not available. However, you can apply for a license to purchase alcoholic drinks.

If you don't have your own means of transport, the best form of transport is taxis - easily identified in white and orange .  Negotiate your cost of travel to your destination before you take transport. City Buses are available but they are few and Follow no defined schedule .

The Colleges of Applied Sciences 

1.    AL RUSTAQ

Al Rustaq College is located near the mountains about 90 minutes drive from Muscat. It is a small City with sufficient retail outlets to provideyou with all you need. There are two restored forts one in Rustaq itself and one about 20 kms away (reportedly connected by a 23 kms underground tunnel) Rustaq is also surrounded by wadis. There is a beach resort about 40 minutes away with Western services Sucas , a health club, pool, diving, etc.

2.    NIZWA

Nizwa College also has a magnificent mountain backdrop and is about two hours from Muscat. Nizwa is well known for its fort and for its "souk" or market place. Here you will find everything from live animals to fine gold. It is also near Bahla, which is the home of a fort currently being restored as a World Heritage Site. Just past Bahla is another restored fort - Jabreen - which is furnished to give one a clear idea of living conditions in past life. There are also Western- style hotels with pools and health clubs, and several restaurants.

3.    IBRI

Ibri College is a three hour drive from both Muscat and Dubai in the UAE. Ibri is a small town with sufficient retail outlets to provide you with all you need. It is close to Bat, which is a site of ancient burial tombs. There are also wadis near by, and a wilderness for exploring. There is a hotel with a restaurant, and Nizwa is an hour away . Western style hotel with pools and health clubs and licensed restaurants.

4.    SOHAR

Sohar College is in a city on the coast about 2 hours from Muscat and also about 2 hours from Dubai in the UAE. It was once the major port in Oman. It has a fort and a fort museum, a handicraft souk and  many retail outlets and modern amenities. There are Western style hotels and restaurants.  There are also wadis near by. 

5.    SUR

Sur College is also on the coast and has many modern amenities. It is  about three and a half hours drive from Muscat and is the centre for traditional boat building - the Dhow sailing ship. It is also close to the nesting grounds of the giant green turtle and large schools of dolphins often visit the waters off the coast. It is a short trip into the true desert and to spectacular wadies. There are Western style hotels and restaurants.

6.  SALALAH

Salalah College is located at the far south end of the country about 1000km from Muscat in the famed Dohfar region, home of the frankincense tree. From June to late August The climate in Salalah is unique as it is the only place in oman have monsoon rains. As a result, Salalah is a place where many Gulf citizens go to escape the heat. It is also the only place in Oman to grow coconuts and is lush with banana trees. The city is located on a large flat delta, backed by rolling hills. It is the place of Job's tomb. It is a cosmopolitan city with restaurants, a good range of consumer goods and Western style hotels.

Students in the colleges of Applied Sciences  are completing a four-year Bachelor in one of the programmes shown in the table below . Students specializing in I.T, in Business Administration, Design, Communication Studies, and English B.ED .may need a foundation year programme prior to their four - year degree programme.

THE ENGLISH UNITS

There are over 100 lecturers of English at the Colleges. For the 2005-2006 academic years more lecturers have been added and now the ELC departments are the largest departments.

Working hours are from 8:00 am till 4:30 pm with a lunch break. Though the number of contact hours are less than 20 per week, the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman expects that all staff remain on campus for the duration of the working day. Nevertheless faculty staff are allowed to carry out essential business in town during working hours, such as banking, medical. Prior permission will need to be sought before from the head of the department.

Generally the standard of English amongst the students is low to average, but the trend is changing. In the 2005/2006 College year, students will start learning through the medium of English so it is expected that the standard of English will rise considerably.

Since the beginning of September 2005, first year students have taken a diagnostic test. For the academic year 2005/2006, students will study a new range of books to compliment the learning of the four skills, plus grammar focus and study skills. Students in the second and third year of their program will continue with homogeneously grouped classes the program in Headway and English for Specific Purposes.

GUIDELINES FOR THE TEACHER

Students have strict guidelines for behaviour in the classroom and teachers need to ensure that these are adhered to. Justice for non-conforming to these rules should be meted out equitably and impartially. Please advise students of these guidelines at the beginning of each semester.

Classroom/Exam Instructions:

1        Teachers need to set acceptable rules for lateness. Students should not be late for class and this should be made clear from the beginning.

2        Class duration is 50 minutes, i.e. 1 x 50 minutes. Double classes can then be of 1 hour and 40 minute duration, or can be 2 x 50 minute duration with a 10 minute break.

3        Homework checks should be done regularly.

4        Students are entitled to be treated with respect. It is axiomatic, that if you show respect to the student, they in return will respect you.

5        Progress tests should be given as to departmental guidelines, i.e., 2 progress tests per semester and a final exam at the end of semester. Progress tests should not be cancelled. The Head of Department will advise when these tests should take place.

6        Students Attendance and Results Sheets should be completed and then handed to the Head of Department at the end of each semester for filing. (see below)

Attendance instructions / Results

1        Students are to attend all lectures relative to the courses they are registered in. It is incumbent on the teacher to take the attendance regularly and to transfer attendance sheets to the Head of Department for accreditation for filing.

2        The teacher is to give the student a verbal warning when his/her absences reach 5% of the total contact hours. In such cases where these reach 10%, the student is to be notified in writing, with or without acceptable justification for absences.

3        Should absences reach 20% and there is no justification, or such absences are not condoned by the Dean, then the Dean will advise the course teacher that the students is to be denied the right to take exams for that course. The Dean will instruct Admissions and Registration that this student be given an ‘E' for that course.

Exam Instructions/results

1        Failure to take a scheduled progress test must be justified within three (3) days of the test. A rescheduled test can then be organised by the teacher.

2        If a student fails to take the final exam, he/she will be graded ‘incomplete' and must produce justification to the Dean within one (1) week of the exam. If the justification is acceptable, the Dean will instruct the department to inform the teacher that another test must be scheduled within 2 weeks of the start of the following term.

3        Should the justification for non-attendance at the exam be rejected, the student will be given zero for that exam. Overall result will be calculated on the basis of semester work only.

4        This also applies to students who give no justification for their absence within three (3) days.

5        Any student whose justification is accepted and yet fails to sit for the rescheduled exam is then considered to have withdrawn from the course.

6        The term and cumulative averages are calculated without taking into account the courses marked ‘incomplete'.

PLEASE NOTE: 

• The first week of each term is the add and drop week (this does not apply to the foundation year students)
• After this period, the final student lists are made available to departments by Admissions and Registration.
• Course teachers are to provide Admissions and Registration with attendance lists on a monthly basis.

Parking and Transportation

Staff and faculty parking is provided on-campus with student parking at the gate outside the campus.

It is relatively simple to buy a car on your salary and all the major car manufacturers sell cars in oman .

Cafeteria

There is a cafeteria on-campus with a limited selection of foods, hot and cold drinks. A teacher cafeteria is next to the student cafeteria. You may be served a hot meal and drinks here. However, many teachers bring their own coffee/tea-making facilities so they can, at their convenience, have a tea-break or lunch between classes.

Learning  Language Resource Centre (LRC)

The LRC is mainly equipped with rich Arabic texts. However it has only a small English collection which needs upgrading. It is also equipped with computer labs and Instructional media resource.

There are also well-trained technicians who are able to assist you with any instructional technology.

The working week/years

The working  week starts on Saturday and ends on Wednesday.

There are several Islamic and local holidays including Oman National Day 18^th November, the prophet's birthday, the accession of the prophet - this varies according to the lunar calendar on which Islam is based, Eid al-fitr (small Eid) and Eid al-adha (big Eid ) .

AN ORIENTATION

Getting Settled

On arrival you will be met at the airport. If your visa is not at the airport, someone will come from the Ministry or from the recruitment agency to see you through customs. Make sure you request to be met, particularly if your flight arrives in the early morning. You will be taken to your hotel where you are provided with bed and breakfast for three days.

In the morning of your arrival, or the next day, you will be taken to the Ministry of  Higher Education for the first part of your tour of duty. You will need your passport and at least 3 photos. It is best to take a number of photos with you to all formal visits, because for the first while there will be several forms to complete, photocopies to be taken and photos to be added to forms.

You will then return to your hotel and await transportation to your destination. A driver from the college will pick you up or you will be flown to Salalah- depending where your destination.

Again you will book into a hotel at the college expense for bed and breakfast only and for three days only. On the third day it is your choice whether you check-out to another form of accommodation or whether you stay at the hotel. However from that time on, accommodation is at your expense.

On the first day you will be taken to your college and you will meet the Dean and the Head of Department. There will be more forms and photos and then you are off to the police department to register as an Omani resident . The next visit is to the health department where you will pick up your health card and get a very general health check. This check usually takes about 2 hours, because you need to the most results back before the Ministry can formally employ you.

You will be given an interest-free loan from the Ministry varying according to experience - paid back over the next 8 months at RO 200 per month to cover all costs in getting settled. This is deducted from your salary.

You will be able to get some assistance from someone in the College to be shown a number of flats and villas, depending on availability at the time. Most accommodations, some furnished, some unfurnished range from RO 80 to RO 200, but the average is around RO 130 - RO 150. And then the settling-in begins - the basic requirements for living.

Driver's licenses, alcohol permits, insurance for the car (as required), opening a bank account, phones, internet etc. are easily available as most people speak English where these need to be secured. If you have any problems, speak to your supervisor at the college who has been through this process and will be able to help you.

Driver's licenses cost around RO 20. You need to produce your valid license from neighbouring Gulf countries, Jordan, USA, Canada, the EU, Australia or New Zealand. Ask personnel at the college to assist you in this process.

Power is 240 volt with both English and European plugs. 

Depending on where you live, you may need to check the following before signing a lease.

o       Phones - check the status of a phone line if moving into a place and signing a lease.  Phone 198 for directory enquiries in English.

o       Internet and cable services are available in Oman. A returnable deposit of RO100 - 300 is payable for these services.

o       Water - you may not be on mains, and water may need to be delivered by water truck.

Water generally is treated and is drinkable. Bottled water is available at the local supermarkets.

REGISTERING AT YOUR EMBASSY 

One of the first things you should do when you arrive in Oman is to register with your embassy or consulate.  You will find the nearest embassy on your country website and in most cases, there is an online form that can be completed and forwarded to your embassy. Some embassies/consulates are in Oman, but others are in either Dubai or Saudi Arabia. Check out your country website.

Living in Oman

THE OMANI PEOPLE

You will find Omanis friendly, cheerful and helpful. So if you want to get to know the customs and the language you will find many who are willing help you with some of the standard Arabic greetings.

You may find it difficult from time to time to understand each other because of the language barrier, but a good sense of humour and patience will go a long way towards helping you settle in to your new environment.

Omanis, are friendly and welcome expatriates to their country.

Both men and women take an active role in working life in Oman 

Public modesty is a way of life in Oman, particularly in matters of dress. For Omani citizens. This means covering all parts of the body, including head, arms and legs. Men wear Misdates, usually white. You will however see other colours worn too. This unifies men, both rich and poor. Expatriates are not required to cover their heads, but are encouraged to dress modestly.

Women wear the Hijab on their heads and the Abayya, a black cloak worn over Western or traditional clothes. For women the Abayya and Hijab are quite a fashion item and some are quite stylish, some in silk and other quite striking fabrics and designs .

 What to Bring

Almost anything can be bought in Muscat The most obvious things to bring are clothes and shoes suitable for the climate and customs of the country.  Clothing can be made at a very good price. Tailors abound. You may need to bring a light jacket for winter evenings. Hats and sunglasses are de rigueur.

You will need to bring at least 16 passport photographs for various governmental agencies and for the College 

The Climate

From May to October the temperature can be quite intense - ranging from 40 - 50 degrees Celsius Despite this all classrooms , offices and shops are air - conditioned.  Outside of these times, the weather is a pleasant mid-20's with cool nights.

Finance

The Omani Riyal (OR) is divided into 1000 baisas and is tied to the $US. Each RO was worth US2.59 at time of writing, but changes little.Your salary is usually paid at the end of the month and is paid directly your bank account . When you open your bank account you will be issued an ATM card. ATMs are plentiful in all cities . Traveller's cheques clear instantly. 

Visa and MasterCard using international accounts can be used at ATM's but they attract a double charge.

Cost of living is quite low as compared to living in Muscat and as a local you can negotiate a price for some items in some stores. A general grocery bill for one person can be as low as RO 12 for one week.

All credit cards are available .Please ask your bank for more information.

Housing

Hotel accommodation is readily available and flats can be found, but you are on your own here to do so . You may need to seek help from colleagues or from the local community. Most people know someone somewhere who has accommodation available. Furnished places are quite expensive, but if you take unfurnished, you will find furniture outlets - both new and second-hand - to complement your requirements. Ask  the Director of Administration and Finance at the college for help often ,it is worthwhile to remain in the hotel beyond the 3 days that the college pay for while you learn your way about Don't take the first place you see.

Telephone/mobile phone

Connecting to a telephone line is quite easy as long as there is a line connection  already place. You will need to complete some forms, get a letter from the College office, pay a fee of about RO7  and in a few weeks you will have a line. You can also get a connection to the internet through this system connecting the telephone and internet takes 2-4 weeks .

For your mobile phone, it is just as easy .A passport or  ID copy required to apply for prepaid mobile service Prepaid cards are provided by two companies, Oman Mobiles and Nawras .

Cheap mobile phones are also readily available and the phone top up cards can be bought almost anywhere. 

Useful Websites and Telephone numbers

1.                  Ministry of Civil Service: Tel: 246-960-00 <www.mocs.gov.om>

2.                  Ministry of Education:

Tel: 232-123-56 <www.moe.gov.om>

3.                  Ministry of Finance:

Tel: 247-382-01<www.mof.gov.om>

4.                  Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Tel: 246-995-00

5.                  Ministry of Health:

Tel: 246-0217-77 <www.moh.gov.om>

6.                  Ministry of Heritage & Culture:

Tel: 246-413-00<www.mnhe.gov.om>

7.                  Ministry of Higher Education:

Tel: 247-835-55 <www.mohe.gov.om>

8.                  Ministry of Housing, Electricity & Water:

Tel: 246-933-33 <www.mhew.gov.om>

9.                  Ministry of Information:

Tel: 246-032-22<www.omanet.gov.om>

10.              Ministry of Interior:

Tel: 246-022-44 <www.moi.gov.om>

11.              Ministry of Justice:

Tel: 246-976-99 <www.moj.gov.om>

12.              Ministry of Legal Affairs:

Tel: 244-898-02

13.              Ministry of Manpower:

Tel:248168-64<www.manpower.gov.om>

14.              Ministry of Sports Affairs:

Tel: 247-032-99

15.              Ministry of Tourism:

Tel: 245-887-00 <www.omantourism.gov.om>

16.              Ministry of Transport & Telecommunications:

Transport Tel: 246-038-00

Telecommunications: Tel: 246-978-88

<www.comm.gov.om>

17.              Royal Oman Police:

Tel: 245-600-99 <www.rop.gov.om>

Government Organizations & Committees

1. Central Bank of Oman:

Tel: 247-022-22 <www.cbo-oman.org>

1. Civil Service Employees Pension Fund:

Tel: 246-960-05

1. College of Banking & Financial Studies:

Tel: 245-022-88

1. Institute of Public Administration:

Tel: 246-022-52 www.ipa.gov.om

1. Muscat Securities Market:

Tel: 248-126-07

1. Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry:

Tel: 247-076-84 www.ChamberOman.com

1. Oman Establishment for Press, News, Publication & Advertising:

Tel: 246-044-77 www.omanobserver.com

1. Oman Telecommunications Company:

Tel: 232-922-00 www.omantel.net.om

1.  Public Authority for Craft Industries:

Tel: 245-967-90

1.  Public Authority for Social Insurance:
2. Tel: 245-247-00
3. Sultan Qaboos University:

Tel: 244-133-33 www.squ.edu.om

1. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority:

Tel: 245-743-00 www.tra.gov.om

1. The Council of Higher Education

Tel: 246-977-20