JOB OPPORTUNITIES EXCHANGE RATES LIFE

Job Opportunities

The International School is located on the beautiful island of Mahé, the principal island of the Seychelles group. The school offers a British-style curriculum for students aged 3 years to 18 years, and is a not-for- profit institution owned by an association of parents. The school is licensed as a private school by the government of Seychelles.Periodically there are job opportunities at The International School which are listed locally in the Seychelles Nation and internationally in the Times Educational Supplement and jobs.tes.co.uk. Expatriate positions would normally be listed in Dec/Jan.

There are currently no job vacancies at the school:

Applicants must have recent experience (minimum three years) of teaching in a British school.Further details of all positions are available from the school on (+248) 610444
or: Carole Emile
Admin. Officer
caremi@internationalschool.sc

.

All positions are offered with two year renewable contracts.

IMPORTANT – Please Note:

On November 3rd 2008 the President of the Republic of the Seychelles announced a raft of economic reforms to take immediate effect. The most significant of these was the ‘floating’ of the Seychelles Rupee. This effectively meant the complete removal of currency controls, with the future value of the local currency being solely determined by market forces. Once currency trading opened the following Monday the value of the Seychelles Rupee dropped significantly. Since then its value has been erratic, but consistently way below the pre-reform level, when it was relatively steady at circa 15.5 Rupees to the GB Pound. As we near the end of November the value is around 26 Rupees to the Pound, a 10.5 Rupee differential.The principal effects of the reforms can be summarised as follows:

  • Significant price increases across the goods and services board, specifically fuel, food and transport
  • General concern about the possibility of future increases in the cost of living and the prospect of an inflationary spiral
    1. Limited availability of foreign exchangeSince most items required by the inhabitants need to be imported the Seychelles has had, for some time, foreign exchange requirements that cannot be fully serviced by the inflows of ‘hard’ currency, mostly through tourism revenue. It is difficult for foreign workers to repatriate a large amount of money on a regular basis. Most staff repatriate between £250 and £350 monthly, this amount is relatively easy to negotiate with the banks. Consequently, if you know that you are going to need to convert a significant proportion of your salary (which is payable in Seychelles Rupees) to GB Pounds or US Dollars, then Seychelles is probably not the place for you.
    2. Salary levels are not the best in the world and certainly can not rival, say, KuwaitHowever, you may feel that, having researched the options, that Seychelles is a nicer place to live… A typical expatriate teacher with a degree and QTS or PGCE, or holding a BEd, will, depending on experience, earn about 40% less than the equivalent UK salary. This is paid tax-free, but is subject to 5% social security. Health insurance is provided by the school. In addition we provide good quality private-sector accommodation (no compounds!) and you have the option to select your own property (we want you to be happy with your house or flat). Currently some teachers live near, or in one case on the beach. Others prefer accommodation in the hills and mountains that rise steeply from the coastal areas in the north of the island. Teachers are responsible for their own utility bills (see below).Outward and end of contract return flights are provided for the teacher only, and a baggage allowance of 50kgs of personal effects is provided by the school in addition to any ticket-linked allocation. A teacher’s professional materials are shipped at the school’s expense. Contracts are initially for two years and are renewable subject to performance. There is a gratuity payment for each year of completed service paid at the end of the contract regardless of whether the teacher renews contract. It is not carried forward. Most expatriates stay for four years, with some remaining for considerably longer.
    3. The cost of living in the Seychelles is generally higher than in the UK.Although there are exceptions to the ruleIn particular the cost of cars is very steep. A standard Toyota saloon car, 5 or 6 years old, or similar, will cost in excess of SR90,000. A Mini Moke will cost about SR15,000. This is due to the extremely high import duty charged on cars, and the fact that for some years it has only been permissible to import new vehicles. The second-hand market is buoyant. A new (small) car can be purchased for about $7500 plus duty payable in local currency. Some teachers overcome the problem by borrowing most of the purchase price and, at the end of contract repaying any loan balance from the proceeds of the sale of the car. Cars are starting to depreciate these days (until last year the norm was for them to appreciate) but the rate of decline is much slower than in UK. Although there is a good bus service in terms of coverage and price, the regularity of the service leaves a lot to be desired and buses stop running at about 7.30pm. A car is, therefore, highly desirable, not to say essential, particularly if you are to make the most of the island. Electricity costs are on a sliding scale, so if you use a lot then the (monthly) bills can be expensive. Water is fairly cheap. An average house will have electricity bills of 300 – 600 rupees per month, with water costing 200 – 300.Car and house contents insurance are reasonable compared to the UK and a bargain if you’re used to London prices. Be sure to bring evidence of no claims bonuses in order to qualify for substantial discounts on premium. There are no service charges (such as council tax or similar).The cost of food varies; recently, in line with the economic liberalisation of Seychelles, consumers have seen a huge increase in the range and quality of goods on sale. It pays to shop around. Since July 2003 a new tax, GST, has been levied on most items and services. This has led to an increase in the cost of living of between 10 and 17 percent, compared with the previous year. Generally, bearing in mind that accommodation (normally the major budget item in the UK) is provided, it is possible to live reasonably well on the salary paid and many teachers with property to let in the UK find that they can create income which off-sets the forex problems described earlier.
    4. SecurityWhilst crime against the person is virtually unheard of (and when it does take place it is invariably domestic) property crime does occur. In some parts of the island house-breaking is common, with vacant houses being particular targets. However Seychelles remains a very safe place to live. We do have teachers who have been burgled when they have been out in the evening, some more than once, particularly those living in properties without close neighbours. To put this in perspective such incidents are still uncommon, and much can be done to prevent thieves getting away with your possessions. Many residents keep a dog for security, others prefer physical security systems such as burglar bars. During the last year I am aware of two burglaries in the homes of teachers employed at the school. We employ 55 teachers.
    5. Travel, time-out, weekends away etc.Mahé is a convenient location from which to explore Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean area. I am not aware of any expatriate (or Seychellois for that matter) who has visited every island in the Seychelles group. Most comfortably visited from Mahé are the islands of Praslin (second largest in terms of population) and La Digue (third). Nearer islands such as Cerf and Round can be visited for lunch (for example a boat trip to Moyenne island inclusive of excellent buffet lunch will cost about SR 300 per head). This is a whole day trip, very popular on a Sunday. Like most excursions you benefit greatly by being a resident (you have a national identity card which means that you a) pay in local currency for things like inter-island ferries and flights, and b) pay a LOT less than tourists. A return 15 min each way flight from Mahé to Praslin will cost about S620, with a crossing to La Digue another SR50 for the ferry. The following destinations are easily reached for vacation from Mahé: Maldives, India, South Africa, Kenya, Dubai, Singapore, China, Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar.
    6. EnvironmentSeychelles is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Mahé itself is stunning, with the beaches among the cleanest in the world (the Seychelles government has strong environmental protection policies). There are extremely low pollution levels.
    7. ProfessionalThe consensus view is that the children at the ISS are generally delightful, and teachers enjoy the comparative lack of stress relating to, say, discipline matters. Teachers are appreciated by students and their families. The school is very friendly – a community school in all but name. We are over-subscribed in all sections of the school. 60% of our students are Seychellois, with the following countries well represented in the expatriate cohort: GB, India, Sri Lanka, America, South Africa and China. In all there are students from 25 countries attending the school. Despite the foreign exchange problems mentioned earlier the school is well-resourced, with regularly up-dated text books, three good computer rooms , electronic library, excellent hall lighting and sound systems etc. All classrooms and labs are fully air-conditioned. All teaching accommodation is purpose built, all of it within the last 10 years. Our largest building was completed in 2008. It is important that the school runs efficiently, but we try to avoid a plethora of paperwork. In essence, if documentation does not impact positively upon the students in some way then it is unlikely to be used at the ISS. There is a professional development programme, which can include overseas or distance learning for teachers, subject to the availability of foreign currency. Further details about the professional life of the school can be found on this web site.
    8. Social lifeOn Mahé there are good restaurants, excellent hotels (open to non-residents) night clubs/discos and casinos. You can find and use all the usual tourist-related facilities – scuba, fishing, sailing, wind-surfing etc.The expatriate community is, like the place, fairly laid-back. You can opt in or opt out of a fairly active social agenda. Seychellois are very friendly and welcoming people and most employees take the opportunity to enjoy both local and expatriate friendship groups (in fact the two blend rather more than in many other parts of the world.)
    • SR23/24 to the UK Pound
    • SR18 to the US Dollar

    • Clearly the International School Mahe and its sister school the Vijay International School Praslin have been affected by these developments. The consequences in terms of higher prices in the shops and more expensive foreign exchange have hit staff very badly. The school is doing everything possible to assist staff, whilst trying to minimise the need for very large increases in fees, which, if imposed, would make it very difficult for many families to meet the payments.Also it is essential to remember that these are early days and we will possibly see a stabilisation if not a correction within the next few months. Theorists point out that this difficult period of adjustment will pass, and the economy will emerge the stronger for it. The timeframe for recovery is given at anything up to three years. Seychelles’ problems are, of course, worsened by the global economic down turn, with many of our principal tourist markets in Europe suffering their own financial woes.So, when reading the following information please do bear in mind that the prices quoted are now completely out-of-date. Rather than re-compose the entire piece we will be letting things settle first. You can expect to see a complete new section on “Living and working in the Seychelles” in the New Year. In the meantime should you have any specific questions please e-mail them to us at the school.

    Living and Working in Seychelles

    Below you will find some basic guidelines for teachers interested in employment at the International School Seychelles. Note that all of the prices quoted in the information below are in Seychelles Rupees. The current rate of exchange for the Seychelles Rupee is approx:

    Introduction

    Seychelles is best known in Europe as an exclusive and expensive long-haul holiday destination. It has a reputation for fine hotels, beautiful beaches and an agreeable climate. All of this is true, but in common with most locations Seychelles also has disadvantages for the prospective expatriate employee. The purpose of this document is to provide accurate, honest and up-to-date information to enable teachers considering applying for a position in Seychelles to make an informed decision as to whether to proceed or not. (Although the republic comprises more than 100 islands for the purpose of this document for Seychelles read ‘Mahé’, the principal island, most heavily populated and the location of The International School).

    The ‘Down’ Side

    The disadvantages can be summarised as follows:

  • SalariesBy international standards ours are at the lower end of the spectrum. Currently a full-time teacher on an expatriate contract will earn between Sr22,000 and Sr23,000 plus allowances (up to Sr10,00 dependent on post) per month. The exchange rate is currently about 23 rupees to the GB Pound. There is no income tax in Seychelles. Employees pay 2.5% (that’s two point five, not twenty five) Social Security, thus one takes home almost all of the gross salary. Housing is provided free, and the terms of contract also offer:

    • - Medicare cover for all treatment in Seychelles, inclusive of hospitalisation. Currently a new private hospital is under construction which the school will use once completed. In the meantime any serious medical problems are refereed overseas, either to India, Singapore or Europe.- Baggage allowance. In addition to your outward flight allocation a teacher is allowed 50 kgs of personal effects and 50 kgs of professional materials. These are collected from any UK address and shipped to the Seychelles.- End of Contract gratuity of £4000 (paid in sterling)- Outward flight at the start of contract and return flight at the end.- Free education for children attending the school.- Shortage subject allowances are payable to some staff. These add another 2000 to 4000 rupees per month to the salaryThe school assists teachers with the setting up of monthly standing order (SWIFT) payments whereby rupees may be converted to hard currency and transferred to overseas banks. It should be noted however that there is no guarantee that a teacher will be able to transfer the desired amount. Currently most expat staff do send money back (mostly) to the UK. A monthly figure of between £200 and £400 is usual. Once the transfer is agreed the banks are very good at making regular payments.

  • Forex:Something on this has already been mentioned. Seychelles has a shortage of foreign exchange. Recently the government has taken steps (including devaluation of the rupee) to increase the inflows of forex to the country. Seychelles has great forex needs, as almost everything it needs has to be imported, with relatively little being produced here. Once government has accessed the hard currency needed for essential items such as fuel what is left is allocated by the commercial banks to customers. There is a pipeline (queue in effect) and sometimes large payments can suffer delays. This affects the school in the sense that if we owe suppliers large sums they are unlikely to continue to supply us until the debt is cleared.The situation is, we are assured, improving, with new industries such as offshore making increasingly important contributions to the BOP.Government strategy is to double GDP by 2017.The nation is going through interesting changes as the economy moves from a planned model to a free market model, with all the attendant liberalisation.
  • Cost of Living:Prospective teachers often ask if it is possible to live on the salaries paid. The answer is ‘Yes!’, but this has to be qualified as the cost of some items in a weekly shopping basket is high. Nevertheless our expatriate staff manage to maintain reasonably good lifestyles and take advantage of many of the assets of Seychelles. Teachers are allocated National Identity cards and numbers, which sounds sinister but in fact is very positive as holding such residency status means that you can benefit from exceptional deals in terms of flights (inter-island crossings cost us a fraction of the tourist rate for example), holidays (many top-class resorts offer attractive resident deals, particularly in ‘low’ season) and other benefits. You are also allowed to pay for all services in local currency (which tourists are not). The vast majority of expats travel overseas during holidays, although as the banks are only obliged to provide $400 per ticket to each traveler (in fact they often give more) this is often where you need to spend the forex that you have been transferring throughout the year, or utilise some of that rental income from your overseas property.The cost of living in Seychelles is the proverbial piece of string. Some items are very affordable, for example fresh fish – high quality and a fraction of the UK price, obviously. Locally produced food is excellent quality, plentiful and cheap. Fish can be bought at the beach directly from the guy who caught it or from the market. Most vegetables and salads/fruits are also very reasonably priced, and there is an excellent open market which operates every day but is particularly good on a Saturday, they are also available at roadside stalls. You can buy a large papaya for about Sr30, large Avocados in season for Sr10 and 4 or 5 mangoes for Sr25. We have a number of good supermarkets, but the price of imported – particularly processed – foods can be high. Think 75 rupees for a box of cereal or 90 for a piece of mature cheddar cheese. Do not expect to find the variety of imported foods and consumer products found in British supermarkets on sale here in Seychelles, you will only be disappointed. It is difficult to purchase British and European papers and magazines, you will need to get them sent to you by mail if you want to have them on a regular basis.Alcohol is expensive; a decent bottle of wine will cost about SR180, with spirits costing SR450+ for 70cl. Beer, locally brewed and of excellent quality, is SR22 for a bottle. Petrol is SR15 per litre.Electricity (for which teachers are liable for their homes) is on a sliding scale, the more you use the higher the unit charge. An average monthly bill will be several hundred rupees.Water is reasonable; a monthly bill of SR100 would be expected for most houses. Gas is bottled, a large canister is about SR135 and lasts for about a month, but this depends on what you use it for.Car insurance is below London rates, but make sure that you bring evidence of no-claims bonuses as the ‘top line’ premium here is very high. Generally with good management a teacher can eat and live well, explore and enjoy some of the 115 islands of Seychelles, and travel overseas (airlines route directly to Europe, SA, Thailand, Kenya and Mauritius as well as the hubs of Qatar and Dubai, from where anything is possible…)It is a question of advantages and disadvantages; most people find the advantages in lifestyle and location far outweigh the disadvantages of living in a relatively poor country.

    The ‘Up’ Side

    • The school was founded in 1969 for expatriates living and working on Mahe, the principal island of the Seychelles group• Seychellois students were first allowed to attend the school in 1994. Prior to this government did not allow the enrolment of local students.• Currently the Mahe roll stands at about 700, with 55% Seychellois. The remaining expatriate students come from 27 countries. The main nations represented are – India, Sri Lanka, UK and other EU countries, Australia, South Africa and China.• The school is opened a second campus on the island of Praslin earlier this year. This will initially only offers classes Reception 1 – Year 6.• The school delivers a British-style curriculum. In essence this means that we pick and choose how we interpret UK models. We try to keep paperwork to a minimum (partly and literally) through an excellent intranet system, and if an initiative is unlikely to impact positively on our students it is unlikely to be adopted.• We do not run SATs, relying on our own formative and summative assessment systems.• Examination results are very good at both IGCSE and Advanced levels.• We have a strong extra-curricular programme and enjoy success in sports at a national level. In particular the school excels at swimming.• The school is a not-for-profit institution owned by the parents. It is not a proprietor school, and any profit that is made is fed back into the school to enhance provision.• The elected Board of Governors is comprised entirely of parents of children on roll.• We are a relatively small and friendly school. We have high expectations in terms of the conduct and behaviour of our students. We have very supportive parents.• We have a relatively slow turnover of students. It is quite usual for a local student to complete 15 years of education with us on one site.• We have SEN provision for both EAL students and those with learning difficulties.• We have waiting lists for almost all classes, with target sizes of 18 (Reception 1) and 25 (R2 – Yr9). IGCSE classes are split to variable sizes. Advanced level classes vary, with larger groups of, say 15, subsidising smaller, less popular subjects.• We have a 100% record in terms of securing university places for graduating sixth formers. Most popular destinations remain the UK, Australia and Canada.• School accommodation is all purpose built and air-conditioned. We are continually improving our resources and facilities; however the shortage of foreign exchange in Seychelles hampers development at times. The school does not generate any fee income in hard currency and therefore is entirely reliant upon the commercial banking system for foreign exchange, the supply of which is not constant.• Staff accommodation is of a good quality. We rent houses and apartments from private landlords. If a teacher wishes to move from the property initially allocated he or she can do so. Our aim is to provide the kind of accommodation that a teacher is very happy to return home to at the end of a day’s teaching. Some teachers like to live near the beach; others prefer cooler properties in the mountains. Most properties are located in the north of the island, handy for school, Victoria (capital), port and main commercial and shopping areas. There are excellent beaches in every part of the island.• Seychelles has a reputation as a high-end holiday destination. Whilst it is true that it is very pleasant to be sitting on a beach next to tourists who have paid a small fortune to be there, it would be untrue to claim that Seychelles is a complete paradise. There are negative aspects to living here, which are outlined below, but generally teachers who come here (and in many cases stay for extended periods) do so for the quality of life on offer, both professional and social/domestic.• The school runs an orientation programme upon arrival; we assist with opening bank accounts, registering with high commissions, show you around Mahe, help you hire a car initially and generally do all we can to help you settle in.• There are many social opportunities, both in terms of socialising with colleagues and making new Seychellois friends. The hotels offer the usual facilities and the deal here is that local residents can use hotel restaurants, pools, bars, clubs etc without any problem.• Petty CrimeThere is no crime against the person as a rule in Seychelles, what little there is tends to be domestic. However there is a problem with theft, and an unprotected house or belongings left unattended on a beach may well attract the wrong kind of attention. Some of our properties have security systems, others have burglar bars. This is not meant to be alarmist, and the chances of being broken into are not that high. This year two of our teachers have suffered break-ins that I am aware of. We have 50 staff.• Health issuesThere are no dangerous reptiles, snakes, animals etc on land here. The worst that can happen to you is a centipede bite or a wasp sting (both painful by the way…)We have mosquitoes but they are non-malarial. After a while they stop bothering you – something to do with the effect of the sunshine on your blood we’ve been informed.In the sea stone fish and lion fish are venomous but I have never even heard of anyone being stung by one or other. There are no sharks (apart from whale sharks, which are vegetarian and magnificent – you can dive and swim with them…)A couple of years ago we had a teacher who was stung by a Ray in shallow water on Praslin Island. This was a freak event – medical staff had never seen such an accident so we can assume that this is not a common hazard..If, after reading the above, and the school website, you feel that the ISS is the kind of school for you, and that Seychelles is the kind of place where you would be happy please complete the application process as previously outlined.We will notify all applicants of the outcome of their applications shortly after the closing date. Short-listed candidates will have the opportunity to be interviewed in London late April/ early May but as the school (for obvious reasons – see Forex above) cannot assist with traveling expenses, we also offer the option of a telephone interview or an interview in an alternative location of mutual convenience..In the meantime if you have any supplementary questions please feel free to direct them to me,Martin Kennedy, Director, at marken@internationalschool.scor Jane Lincoln, Head of School, at janlin@internationalschool.sc and we will reply as rapidly and as honestly as we can.Thanks again for your interest in the school.