The International Schools Review Forum

I have read the bad reviews about this school , but that was under the old head, pre 2013. Since then there has been a new head. Can anyone comment on working conditions now at the school, and the general feeling? Also is the pay ok in relation to other tier 2 schools? Are fees paid for dependants? Thanks to anyone with info.

They are a third tier school. Its still the same school, yes they provide waivers. Bottom tier schools like to "reboot" their image by replacing admin, as if a fresh coat of paint or new face will fix anything, its still the same boat though.

It isnt the head that makes a school bad or not, its ownership. You can get an amazing head into the school and they still have to do what ownership says regardless of how wrong/adversive/evil/ bad it is, good heads will leave under those conditions a number of them because of costs, market have to stick it out and it effects them, but you dont get to keep running a school when you deft ownership for very long.

I appreciate psyguy comments...but does anyone have first hand info on Sri kdu?

I haven't worked there, I have met teachers who have.

It is a typical family proprietary school, like so many in Kuala Lumpur.

Does that mean it's best avoided or would it be a reasonable experience?

Personally, I would hesitate to work in a family proprietory business again, but I am a teacher / manager with decades of experience in good schools, and will only seek places where the changes I make are sustainable, to a large extent. For me, nothing is more depressing that to go the extra mile, month after month, only to learn your work was thrown in the hopper after you left, or the specialist classroom you'd developed slowly with staff is overnight converted to storage, or that all the teachers and colleagues you'd trained over the previous two years leaked away from the organisation during the 18 months following your departure. That's hopeless. Experiences like this simply don't happen in developed countries where change is governed by systems considering how to implement improvements based on educational research, and do so slowly and carefully. Experiences like this don't happen much when teachers are unionised professionals, empowered to reflect together and have a stake in building the best possible environment for student learning.

But that's my personality, based on my personal history and background.

If you are working to travel, or to experience Malaysia, or are new to international teaching, your experience will be completely different. I've been there too, and I never wanted to experience any country simply as a tourist again.

SuzieQ, I appreciate the reply, but I feel your comments don't answer my original q's. You said u know people, but your comments are personal, having not worked there yourself.
Btw - I am not working to travel. In fact I am giving up my relationship, to some extent, to work in a job I love. And I have lived in ASia for most of my adult life, ( I am 37 now) and your comments about ' things don't happen like this in developed countries' , seem a little bitter to me.
If u are bitter, ok, of course.
I just wanted info on this particular school!

Yes, you are absolutely right.

Good luck with your decision.