Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Filipina Staff - A new job title in schools?



Looking for a placement at Regent International School? You could apply for a position shown as 'Filipina Staff'. Other positions available include Music and Drama Teacher, Public Relations Officer, French and Arabic Teachers.



In the past various blogs have discussed the subject of organisations advertising for specific nationalities in placements ads. However, what caught my attention in this case is that 'Filipina Staff' is now a job category! Interesting.

Do I need to be a Filipina to qualify? Or what if I am a Filipino?


You can access the Regent International School website here

6 comments:

Para Glider said...

Maybe by making it the job title, it frees them from mentioning preferred nationality in the description, subtly avoiding any charge of racism!

Dubai Photo Story said...

:-)

Strange... isn't it? I wonder what the community thinks about this!!!

Para Glider said...

Of course, in the UK, the advert would be postscripted with "we are an equal opportunities employer" which would allow old male Scots like me to apply to be Filipinas, or to sue if rejected...

Anonymous said...

it is not about being an 'equal opp employer'. Its not as if the school is 'preferring' Filipinas and hence not giving an opportunity to the others.
It is a general tendency in Dubai to slot all Filipinas into a 'category of work force' This is nothing but racism.

Susan said...

Having done my time in a few schools in the UAE, the mention of 'Filipina' in the ad has a lot of angles.

They presume most Filipinas here to be non-Muslim. Hence, they won't veil. They're angling to fill the position w/ an image. A number of schools around the region don't want hijabis working the front lines. Messed up, but true. Even in countries like Egypt. Some positions w/in the school can veil, but not others.


'Filipina' also sets a salary expectation(or lack thereof). A westerner on her husband's sponsorship might expect a higher salary. They put it in the add in hopes of filtering out those who would want more $$.

Furthermore, 'Filipina' indicates (wrongly) that they'll be expected to have some level of suitable English.

It's amazing how so few words conveys so much in meaning and intent. It's offensive to a lot of different people on many levels. EOE practices are long off in these parts.

rosh said...

Unfortunate. This is the sort of garbage that needs to be cleaned out. The UAE and its ways or life has a long way to go -- it's moving ahead, but rather slowly with bumps on the way. I belive it shall get there, but shall take time. And it needs the collective help of thought and change from all those who live there. Fancy buildings at the surface in no way implies the ground realities and ways of life.

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