Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

26 February 2025

5 minute read

Referred to as the “hostage South African teacher,” Nadia Shaik Hussain was in for a rude shock when she decided to make the move to teach abroad. A teacher with a Bachelor of Education degree with majors in English and History, Nadia runs an NPO that focuses on social injustices through education and plays a critical role in outreach programs.

After facing financial difficulties during COVID and with the job scarcity in South Africa, Nadia began looking for “greener pastures,” applying online for jobs in the Middle East and the UK. When she got accepted as a teacher for a Western International School in the Middle East, she felt that a new door was opening for her.

Nadia was provided with a letter of offer, and after being fingerprinted, she was provided with an agent by the school she was to teach at and was given a work contract to sign that she was told was just a formality. Unfortunately, the fine print was not spelt out for her. When she arrived, Nadia was appalled by the living conditions, the “harsh reality with broken promises and half-truths.”

Neither British nor US aligned, the learning environment in the Middle East is not an inclusive one as those in South Africa are. Although teachers are welcomed by their “quality assurance managers,” there are no clear lines of communication and an undefined hierarchy at these schools. Foreign teachers must work alongside national teacher assistants but there is a language barrier and a different set of rules for them that makes synchronization difficult. Beyond the language barrier, another challenge for teachers passionate about teaching is the fact that they cannot “reinvent the wheel,” says Nadia. Teachers are expected to do what they are told to do and cannot make the impact that’s needed because they are constantly observed by the cameras in their classrooms. To top it all, money for additional resources at school must come out of a teacher’s own pocket.

A strange phenomenon in the Middle East are “frequent walkers”. Over-stimulated children, many of whom have ADHD or learning challenges, walk freely out of classrooms, with teachers being unable to do anything to stop it. Mental abuse from children is also a reality due to it being “culturally normal” in the region with many kids having “no sense of behavioural management”. Some teachers have even reported being physically abused by the learners in their classroom. Most kids are so wealthy that they are raised by nannies and have very little parental involvement. Nadia mentioned that in South Africa, there are boundaries in place whereas in the Middle East, there is no recourse for ex-pats.

Because there is no job security, everyone is “trying to rise to the top” and look after their own interests. Social relationships are limited because of cultural differences and there is no work-life balance because of the high expectations in the workplace.

But the biggest challenge, says Nadia, is the tiny cockroach infested apartments. The cost of living is high, and even though the pay is good, all personal expenses are borne by the teachers themselves and only transport to and from the school is included.

Yet there are areas of strength, says Nadia. Resources like smart screens are widely available, mental health awareness and progress in its early stages, and there is a diversity of teachers from other UAE countries and places like the UK, India and Pakistan.

Nadia says that she decided to leave when she realized she was “trapped”. She applied for an early termination of the contract and was told to pay out for the entire period of the contract or stay on. For teachers who are wanting to get a job in the UAE, Nadia suggests researching the labour laws and the kafala system, as well as contract termination, before signing a contract. Nadia feels that she should have paid attention to “glass door” to understand the experiences and exploitations of others.

Listen to the full interview with Faaiza Munchi on New Horizons.