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[h=2]Our Children’s Education Going to the Dogs[/h]
October 31st, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
I am shocked to hear that our MOE is still short of English
and Humanities teachers.
As an ex-trained teacher with 10 years’ full-time experience, I was 20 years
into my second career, earning $4K+ when I applied to rejoin teaching.
Would you believe the 3 interviewers, who included a Caucasian, offered me a
measly $1.5K, which I, of course, declined. It was not just a paltry
proposition. It was an insult to my profession (then).
That happened just before MOE launched its new scheme to welcome mid-career
professionals – in the late Nineties.
Three years ago, I wrote to MOE asking them why I could not be considered a
mid-career professional myself and accepted into the service, like all the rest
before me. They said no. But I persisted. So they passed the question over to
the “brand-new” Minister Heng Swee Keat. After seven months came the reply –
negative.
As always, don’t ever expect MOE to give you any reason for any rejection.
But hell, why? I want to know. Perhaps, they have something to hide. Why the
thumbs-down then?
Are you suddenly bursting at the seams with teachers and allied educators in
the schools today? If not, why then are you looking abroad for more of the same?
Are your locals not good enough? Or is it because of my age? But if so, what
about the 70-somethings you have still retained in some schools? Huh?
Besides, didn’t DPM Mr Tharman, launch the Flexi-Adjunct and Contract-Adjunct
scheme just about 10 years ago to welcome back ex-teachers who were trained but
either retired or quit the service? So, why the change of heart now? It’s not
only befuddling. It’s damn condescending – especially when we know your hunting
grounds stretch as far as Canada!
Like an old vintage car being cast aside in today’s race for technology and
performance, I was being dumped – never mind my rich colonial pro-British past,
and experiences that I was ever-ready to share. Lessons that I myself benefited
from in studying English and Composition while singing God Save The Queen. But
nobody wants it today, I guess.
What? All my blood, sweat and tears during those early formative years of our
national history in the swinging Sixties shed for nothing? And to think an
unprecedented 80 percent-and-above aggregate recorded for an entire 44-strong
PSLE class was unheard of in those days.
Yet, I managed to achieve it. In a rural school, to boot. Where to spot even
a library or supermarket was simply out-of-this-world!
And just because a younger, “new broom” is today in place as Minister , who
knows next to nothing about our tempestuous and trying past, we have to give in?
No way. Just you wait and see.
.
Scaramouche
Related: Why does MOE hire teachers from Australia when so many local PMETs
jobless?
and Humanities teachers.
As an ex-trained teacher with 10 years’ full-time experience, I was 20 years
into my second career, earning $4K+ when I applied to rejoin teaching.
Would you believe the 3 interviewers, who included a Caucasian, offered me a
measly $1.5K, which I, of course, declined. It was not just a paltry
proposition. It was an insult to my profession (then).
That happened just before MOE launched its new scheme to welcome mid-career
professionals – in the late Nineties.
Three years ago, I wrote to MOE asking them why I could not be considered a
mid-career professional myself and accepted into the service, like all the rest
before me. They said no. But I persisted. So they passed the question over to
the “brand-new” Minister Heng Swee Keat. After seven months came the reply –
negative.
As always, don’t ever expect MOE to give you any reason for any rejection.
But hell, why? I want to know. Perhaps, they have something to hide. Why the
thumbs-down then?
Are you suddenly bursting at the seams with teachers and allied educators in
the schools today? If not, why then are you looking abroad for more of the same?
Are your locals not good enough? Or is it because of my age? But if so, what
about the 70-somethings you have still retained in some schools? Huh?
Besides, didn’t DPM Mr Tharman, launch the Flexi-Adjunct and Contract-Adjunct
scheme just about 10 years ago to welcome back ex-teachers who were trained but
either retired or quit the service? So, why the change of heart now? It’s not
only befuddling. It’s damn condescending – especially when we know your hunting
grounds stretch as far as Canada!
Like an old vintage car being cast aside in today’s race for technology and
performance, I was being dumped – never mind my rich colonial pro-British past,
and experiences that I was ever-ready to share. Lessons that I myself benefited
from in studying English and Composition while singing God Save The Queen. But
nobody wants it today, I guess.
What? All my blood, sweat and tears during those early formative years of our
national history in the swinging Sixties shed for nothing? And to think an
unprecedented 80 percent-and-above aggregate recorded for an entire 44-strong
PSLE class was unheard of in those days.
Yet, I managed to achieve it. In a rural school, to boot. Where to spot even
a library or supermarket was simply out-of-this-world!
And just because a younger, “new broom” is today in place as Minister , who
knows next to nothing about our tempestuous and trying past, we have to give in?
No way. Just you wait and see.
.
Scaramouche
Related: Why does MOE hire teachers from Australia when so many local PMETs
jobless?
