Hi all,

I just started teaching after graduating from NIE in July. In a school with bad culture and climate and am thinking of getting out.

If I decide to break the bond, would the public service blacklist me? Even if I am able to pay off the LD?

Thanks

asking
 

why bad culture?
Is it a mainstream school or elite school?

Elite schools workload sure a lot more but easy of teaching, and hitting KPI is higher chance.

Mainstream schools workload maybe don't have that much surely, and hitting KPI is really a headache.

you lucky you can get in.

I grad from NUS and I cannot even get in. wtf....
I applied 3 times, all fail. wtf..
government groom me never let me work for them.. end up i cursing wtf here..

confirm some malay auntie sitting behind the computer ah,, anyhow anyhow choose the candidate.. 100%. my friend in MOE says so.

I'm glad a foul-mouthed racist like you didn't get accepted by MOE.

Disgusting. I don't see how you are even teacher material from the way you write and your perception of things. Such a disgrace to the Sg education system to have 'groomed' an 'educated' person like you.

Racist prick like you. How dare you insult the NUS name. Loser. Sure you graduated and didn't drop out? Probably some loser with just a pass degree.

Anyone able to help me with this query?

It is hard to say if you will be blacklisted or not. I think it depends on the various companies/organisations. It is not favourable to break a bond because future employers would think that you will not be inclined to stay when you get a job or offer you a bonded position. I personally think that this should not affect your job application significantly. If you can show them your capabilities and impress them at interviews, I don't see why they should not employ you.

I personally feel that it would not matter much if you are miserable at your current job. If you are worried that breaking your bond would affect future job application, could you ask for a transfer to another school?

I have worked with HR before and the only screenings we have done are for those in the criminal registry and checking if the certificate submissions are genuine or not. But don't take my word for it.

Anyway, I think you should try and change the school you're teaching in. Of course, don't cite the reason of you being too stressed out, think of something else. :D

Well, I'm in a school in the west and it's really miserable coming to work daily.

Have seen application forms from statutory boards which ask, "Have you ever broken a bond..."

hi bro, sorry to hear about your situation.
i intend to apply to MOE for teaching as a career, looking forward to teaching.
can you share your experiences in your school?
hope to know about these experiences so that i can reconsider my option if its really that bad.
thanks!

The teaching profession in SG?
 

Hi all,

How is the teaching profession generally like in Singapore? I am a Malaysian citizen who has recently made an application to the MOE for a teaching position. In fact, I have read several articles (written some time three years ago) which seems to paint the profession (in SG) in bad light! However, I am not too inclined to accept them as gospel and would rather solicit opinions from current teachers or those who are well-versed in the Singaporean education.

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

J

Newbie J
 

I have read my fair share of comments from this thread and the general consensus seems to indicate teaching to be very underappreciated profession in Singapore! I thought teachers are revered in your country due to Singapore's exellence in education provision!

J

PE Teacher
 

Hi everyone,

Realised that everyone has talked about being a teacher and all but nobody has ever talked about being a PE teacher.

Am a Year 4 NUS undergrad from Business and I'm keeping my options open and want to find out more about being a PE teacher as Im passionate about sports.

Can anyone shed some light on how the career track is like (isit harder to rise than being a subject teacher?)

Thanks!

If you chose to believe / take what were posted here to be the general consensus about the teaching profession, then you are like what I would label as a "mad scientist". One who would jump to conclusion based on a superficial level of observation or result of a small sample. What's worse is that the same posters could have made multiple posts giving the impression that many people share the same opinion.

I am sure you have heard of the term - the silent majority? Are you aware of the number of teachers in Singapore? In any organization, company or team there will be always be misfits, people who don't belong, people who felt left behind. These are usually the ones who will be bad mouthing the organizations, company or team.

So go figure.

Could you share your story please? This will help prospective teachers with their decisions, and make this discussion more balanced.

I am a relatively satisfied teacher now in a neighborhood secondary school, so maybe my views can add some balance.

I sense a lot of disgruntlement from some of my peers in the school and also some who post online are mainly as a result of mismatch of expectations and not really that the job of a teacher is really that bad compare to other junior level non-manager jobs out there.

I feel the mismatch in expectations usually come from 2 areas – 1) the actual day to day routine being different from what was envisioned when they first join teaching 2) career and salary expectations over the longer term. I will try to address both areas base on my experience, no right or wrong here so those not happy as a teacher now please don’t take offence.

On the issue of job scope the most common problem is most people including me join teaching with a fuzzy concept that our main job which takes up the bulk of our time is to teach the students and impart our knowledge. Of course once you are in you will realize actual teaching is just 1 part of the job (~40% of time for me).

In the day to day work you get embroiled over many other matters that include administration, customer service to the parents, play a bit of office politics, CCA, sort out relationship with other teachers and/or your boss, play nanny to your students (I was once instructed by VP to come to school really early to escort a student to school from his house every morning as he was playing truant and parents demand the school make sure he really turn up). What all this means is a significant minority of teachers become very disillusioned and lost their passion feeling they were defrauded to joining MOE.

For me and the so call “silent majority” we take it in stride. I mean everyone like to work in a job they like and have passion without needing to waste time on unproductive side shows, but how many can actually do that in both public and private sector? From what I hear of my uni friends who are in the private sector, the complains are also about the same – arrowed to do menial stuff, embroiled in office politics, file endless reports, attend pointless meetings etc. Are we passionate about being a MOE teacher? Probably most are not. Are we bitter and drag ourselves to work everyday? Not really, it is a normal job that pays decently.

Then come the next major point of unhappiness – pay and career progression. To be honest I think we are aware when we join that being a teacher is not the way if you want to be rich, get promoted every 2 years, live the metropolitan lifestyle etc. But I notice what happen to some mid-career teachers is that when they first join, they thought they are alright with losing out the career and pay, but after some years as they hear more and more of their peers get promoted to Directors, Vice Presidents etc. getting huge bonuses and hitting 5 figure salaries some start to become envious and backside itchy.

Once you start comparing, it is natural to think they are being short change. To be fair to MOE, they try their best to keep teachers motivated by rotation, development program, creating fake levels so that at least on paper you can get promoted a few times in your life, but then we also have to be realistic – in a school there is only room for a few HODs, 2 VP and 1 principal out of so many teachers. Most will never promote into managerial position and will most likely retire as a senior teacher at best, this is a fact of life.

The money is decent, most mid-career teachers in my school are paid 5-6k while the oldies can reach 7-8k+. It’s not fantastic money and benefits compared to sexy industries like banking, O&G, FMCG etc., but the stability is there and realistically speaking I don't think many people in private sector or other civil service ministries actually can hit 5-figure superscale salaries in their lifetime as well.

In summary, my take is if you want to be a teacher, go in and treat it just like any other job and don't fantasize about being noble, moulding the future or some such nonsense. Keep your head low and stay out of trouble, don't be envious of others outside who have outperformed you, but be thankful that you are much better than some others who are overworked underpaid or worse still retrenched and unemployed.

My 2C.

It is losers like you that make me worry for my children when I send them to school. If you dun have the heart to teach, please fcuk off from MOE and dun affect the young. If you just want slack go through motion to work everyday, go join a office desk job in another ministry.

Why such vitriol and vulgarities? Do you even have children?

Can you imagine what teachers have to deal with day in and day out? Besides having to manage and impart knowledge to sometimes unruly and unteachable children they have to deal with uncouth and un-examplary adults like yourself who are supposedly parents.

And you know why good schools are good schools? It is a virtuous cycle - good schools attract good children and good teachers. Parents chose good schools because they dont want their children to mix with bad company. Parents often forget the home is the best place to set some good examples to their children and expect teachers to do this role as well.

Hi,

Does anyone know what is the career track like for a PE teacher? Seen most posts ard here are about teaching in general but I would like to know more about pe teachers

thats cause I have a passion for sports and I'm currently considering going to NIE to be a pe teacher. Is it as easy to rise as normal teachers or is it harder due to u teaching PE which is a non academic subject?

Yes you are quite right. Hence, do keep the comments coming!

All I can say is thank you for your comments! Unfortunately most of my peers have outshone me in every manner possible so I am relatively unfazed by their success. However, I am keen to carve myself a good career in the education sector so teaching is only the first step to reach the end goal.

u are the one who needs to reflect upon yourself
 

U are wrong.

The comments made by the forumer are fair and reasonable.

U are the one who needs to do some serious soul-searching.

Hi again,

I would to ask another question if possible. Is the NIE-NTU PGDE recognised in other countries such as HK, UK and etc? Has any teacher from the MOE ever taught overseas armed with their NIE-NTU PGDE?

Hi, anyone here a mid-career applicant? I worked for 2 years then stopped to take care of my baby. I've already signed the contract for next year teaching primary school. However, I was not given any increment so I was wondering is it cos I'm not teaching a "relevant" subject at primary level or if it is cos I stopped work for coming 2 years.

Would appreciate if someone could advise me on the salary increment for mid-career applicants. Many thanks!

From my knowledge, increments will be given after you are a trained teacher but not prior to NIE training.

S'pore teachers highest paid in world
 

First, we have the highest paid politicians. And now, we have the best paid teachers!

Do you agree?

S'pore teachers highest paid in world
S'pore teachers highest paid in world | Edvantage

Huh uh, not the same at all, the two.

The politicians' pay are the highest in the world and almost the highest paid profession in the country. The teachers' pay on the other hand maybe the highest among teachers in the world but certainly not among the highest paid profession in the country.

Other professions pay better - politicians, doctors, lawyers, accountants and even engineers.

So no comparison.

Maybe highest paid but probably also longest working hours in the world. I dun think UK and European teachers work as long hours as SG teachers. My friend is in school at 7am and sometimes leaves school at 7pm. Recently school had mid-autumm festival lagi better, work until 10pm.

Hi, can I check with you guys whether there's any intake period for teachers? If I apply now, do I need to wait for a long period of time before I actually start to work as a teacher assuming that I got the offer.

Thx in advanced

Hi, i am a mid career professional switching to MOE teaching. Just went for interview last week. I would like to know about the GEO salary scale breakdown, starting from untrained (contract) teaching.. Can anyone provide? I undestand there will be increment for mid career.


P.S: I will be under GEO 1, if i got in successfully :)

Thanks.
X

You will get $3725.

Hi all,

Just wondering whether are they any pay difference between a direct staff in an independent school, as compared to one who is NIE trained (and employed under MOE) being seconded to an independent school?

Would it be better to quit MOE to join the independent school as a direct staff?

What about the Connect Plan? will quitting MOE, and joining the independent school as a direct staff cause the connect plan to be revoked?

Just curious.. thanks!

How many years does it take for a BT to change from a substantive grade of GEO1.1 to GEO1A1? and also, subsequently to 1A2 and 1A3?

Does anyone knows how many years does it take to become a subject head? And is a MOE HQ stint "compulsory" if one wants to become a HOD?

Leave time
 

True on many occasions teachers have to stay back for long hours at school. But don't forget about your protected time during the holidays when you can have up to 40 days leave, assuming you don't have to come back to school for ccas or classes during the hols.

It all depends on your perf grade and CEP
 

If you have good perf grade and CEP, probably a few years from geo1.1 to a1. BT are given that term for a reason; you are just starting out in the education line and need time to hone your professional expertise.

After that, it really depends on your perf grade over the years. Generally consistent A and B indicate the officer is able to handle the expectations at the next grade. As you climb up higher, you need more time before the next promotion generally.

hello can anyone help me?

i went for an allied educator interview and was told that i cleared the interview and had to submit supporting documents. but they said it's all still subject to contract..

anyone else in this position? or anyone knows what it means?

Allied educator means teacher's kah kia / helper. Help real teachers do their admin work, the stuff they don't want to do and all the extra sai kang.

Also i think some allied educators handle the special assistance students. Not too sure on that part but mainly their jobs is to be the teacher's assistant.

teach with passion, else dont teach. don't destroy the education system, make the system works!