Career as Teacher

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Nothing can be done. Already got people say promotion is slowed down, but still got people disagree and say rate is normal. It’s the truth but nobody believe.

Not to discourage young teachers but you really need to think how you gonna survive with the low pay scale and slower promotion. I have young colleagues who earn GEO2 pay for 5 years. Want to enjoy holiday, family planning also don’t dare to do so.

You call HR they just tell you generic stuff one, so don’t waste time and effort to make the call.

GEO2 for 5 years is really really unusual?

New BTs in my school are all still getting promoted to GEO3 in 1 year if they are male, and 2 years if they are female. I have never seen anyone stuck at GEO2 before, nor have my teaching friends in other schools either.

Originally Posted by clarrissa

Thanks for this insight, it does make sense. I guess I am at the juncture where I am thinking if I would be more fairly compensated if I am able to jump into private sector with my skillsets.

The grass is not always greener on the other side. Private sector has struggles too

I have been in service 15 years and my pay isn’t that bad compared to many friends in private sector, and compared to them mine has been very consistent and stable with no ups/downs or gaps.

I don’t find my work life balance that bad too. I have long days sometimes, but I also rarely work on weekends or during holiday protected time. It’s comparable or even better than some friends I have outside.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

We should judge people. There's many people out there who are absolutely terrible at managing money. You talk to them and then they admit that they shop a lot, eat a lot and travel to Europe/Australia every year.

Again, a one off trip to Bangkok wouldn't cost much. You can do that for less than 1k. The rest of the salary for the year can be used for other purposes.

Not OP but these things you said rub me off the wrong way. Everyone wants to earn more and save more, yourself included. Why must people spend less than 1k for holiday or be restricted to ASEAN countries just cause they earn 3-4K? Not saying that people should spend frivolously but with inflation, pay cannot always be stagnant at 3-4K right?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

GEO2 for 5 years is really really unusual?

New BTs in my school are all still getting promoted to GEO3 in 1 year if they are male, and 2 years if they are female. I have never seen anyone stuck at GEO2 before, nor have my teaching friends in other schools either.

So you’re saying it’s a school thing? Have you checked with those who just got out of BT ship this year? A lot of people from various schools are saying they have no promotion from GEO 2 to 3.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

You seem like someone who had a good life your whole life and doesn’t know what is hardship. You are only thinking about one person expenses for the holiday. Some people have to pay for himself/herself and 2 parents. Not all parents are still healthy and working to be able to pay for their own travel expenses, and worse if that officer is the only child of the family. Multiply a bangkok trip by 3, it’s 3000 (thats like a month’s pay).

Do you still think 3000-4000 is a lot?

If its a one off trip where you bring your parents along,what's wrong with spending a month salary. You really think that every holiday must bring the parents along and pay everything is it. Its really typical of such online conversations that when its pointed out that the pay isnt that bad, there's always some white Knight who will create the worst possible scenario to show why the salary isn't enough.

Anyway you're exaggerating the numbers. Just because its 1k for a person doesn't automatically make it 3k for 3 persons. E.g. parents hotel room can share, transportation is fixed.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not OP but these things you said rub me off the wrong way. Everyone wants to earn more and save more, yourself included. Why must people spend less than 1k for holiday or be restricted to ASEAN countries just cause they earn 3-4K? Not saying that people should spend frivolously but with inflation, pay cannot always be stagnant at 3-4K right?

Look at the posts rhat followed the OP where they are surprised someone can be stuck at GEO2 for years because its different from their own school experience.

Nothing wrong to want to earn more. But id you cannot make it,why should you be promoted?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

So you’re saying it’s a school thing? Have you checked with those who just got out of BT ship this year? A lot of people from various schools are saying they have no promotion from GEO 2 to 3.

I would really love to know how many BTs this OP has contacted. What does 'a lot' mean and how come this OP knows whether these BTs get promoted or not.

At the end of the day, we're all working with imperfect data here. For everyone saying that promotion rates slow in their school, there's always another person talking about how its ok in theirs.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

OP here. GEO2 for 5 years is really sad… just so unfortunate that now cohort promotion is no longer a thing. Not sure if it is also because I’m not exactly at ceiling yet (slightly less than 5k) so there’s no promotion.

First, I hope you really worked hard and deserved the promotion. If you are deserving g, please go to another school. Obviously, this school is not thinking of helping you move on to another grade.

Other than that, we have one GEO 2 officers stuck in that grade for a long time. Claimed that it’s too much to teach and lead local learning journeys. Said that it’s unfair to have CCA right after his lessons because he couldn’t recharge. He brought his worksheet of the wrong level to the class. He administered the, and brushed off students’ complaints there and then. He only realised his mistakes after he started marking. And he asked for a retest. Each mistake , when committed alone, could be brushed off as a bad day. When all these came together, and he made the same blunders every year, it’s hard to justify when compared to other GEOs. Even new BTs performed better and was promoted faster than he. When feedback was given, he kept harping that he stayed back in school after lessons to do additional work. And That should count for something. He felt overworked and said that the mistakes could be committed by some other people. We explained to him that if it’s once-in-a-while blunder, we could really overwrite it. But if the dude didn’t a normal grade every year but he would get really bad grade when he got promoted.

Just echoing that there were really terrible teachers who gaslit themselves that there were victims. I hope the OP would be an different and change school to start again. If not, there should be some serious reflection.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

OP here. GEO2 for 5 years is really sad… just so unfortunate that now cohort promotion is no longer a thing. Not sure if it is also because I’m not exactly at ceiling yet (slightly less than 5k) so there’s no promotion.

Really review your skillsets. If you think you are competitive, take the plunge and join pvt sectors.

That said, not all schools slow down their promotion. I don’t know how true it is. My friends from HQ said that it became really competitive for primary schools. It’s really harder to move there. He was cross-deployed to one. A primary school teacher would get less opportunities to do national works unless one counts PSLE markings. In schools where teachers could bring students out and coach the, for national competitions, it’s faster. Not all primary schools could do that due to their student profile. In secondary schools, there are more opportunities. In JC, teachers can be fielded to different national learning circles. Only 16 JC, each JC would need to send one. These opportunities help when we discuss promotions. That’s why some posters here didn’t see an issue while some felt stuck for a long time. When I compared JC teachers, sec school teachers and teachers from elite primary schools, not much of a diff. Neighbourhoods primary school teachers tend to have a disadvantage.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Look at the posts rhat followed the OP where they are surprised someone can be stuck at GEO2 for years because its different from their own school experience.

Nothing wrong to want to earn more. But id you cannot make it,why should you be promoted?

My performance grade is A. Enough or still cannot make it? Don’t assume people don’t get promoted just cause they’re lousy. I’m telling you cohort promotion is no longer a thing.