MR EE Teck Ee has enumerated the sterling qualities an outstanding teacher should possess in his letter last Saturday, 'What matters is their quality'.
I share his concerns about the Ministry of Education's present recruitment initiative to increase its workforce by another 7,500 - most of whom will be classroom teachers.
The ministry must get down to the grassroots level to truly appreciate the enormity of the issues that teachers face daily.
Ministerial visits to schools, and those carried out by other top education officials, will be far more productive if VIP visitors are accorded unimpeded access to all channels of feedback.
In my 40 years as a teacher, most of my colleagues and I never got the chance to express our views with any of the VIP visitors to our schools.
The entire process involved mainly the school elite. The bulk of the teaching staff were never actively involved, except for those whose lessons were observed by the guest of honour and his entourage.
Even so, such classroom demonstrations were at best a perfunctory scratch on the surface because the agenda ensured little time for a closer scrutiny of what actuated both the pupils and the teacher who demonstrated the model lesson.
The feedback sessions were painstakingly orchestrated to show off the school at its best.
Even the questions posed to the VIPs were vetted to ensure that no feathers were unduly ruffled.
The influx of teachers into the education service, particularly during an economic downturn, has traditionally been robust.
Compassion, dedication, commitment and passion mark an outstanding teacher apart from an ordinary one.
It takes many years to train and nurture a competent teacher.
The ministry should take cognisance of much-publicised issues such as the slide in discipline, the over-emphasis on academic excellence, the proliferation of tuition centres to cater to worried parents and their harried and harassed children, and the lack of enthusiasm and love for schooling among an increasing number of students.
Ho Kong Loon
Upgrading penalty?
'I am unable to teach in schools because the ministry's rules deter teachers like me from teaching during our study break.'
MADAM NORASHIQIN ABDUL HAMID: 'I applied for study leave from the Ministry of Education to upgrade myself as a teacher. However, I am unable to teach in schools because the ministry's rules deter teachers like me from teaching during our study break. The stiff rules make me feel like I am seeking a job, when I already have one. At least 10 schools wanted me to teach, but they declined after they found out about the rules. The fact that I must take no-pay leave to upgrade myself is already a financial sacrifice. Being able to work during my study break helps to lessen the burden. Instead, I must stay unproductive for two months. At the end of the day, I just want to teach.'
Tuition question
'The ministry should wean students off tuition. I hope to see the day when most students can go home from school enlightened and happy.'
MR KANG CHOON TIAN: 'Does the proliferation of tuition centres beg the question of whether our school teachers are adequately trained to teach the average student? Or are they over-burdened with non-teaching duties which render their teaching less effective? Unlike private tutoring, classes in tuition centres are not small, but students still turn to them for help. Has the Education Ministry done any study on how to address this trend and help students do without the need for tuition centres? The ministry should wean students off the reliance on tuition. I hope to see the day when most students can go home from school enlightened and happy and schools are able to help their weaker students with only a few extra lessons.'
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