A-million-dollar question. It depends on the cultures within a school. I have seen the Principal circulating the names amongst HODs and asking them about their opinions (for SH positions). There are schools where HODs will propose because they want to handpick their assistants. My current P would do the planning on his own. The HODs could propose but he has his own pick.

Usual spiel - a good fit the school culture, a good team leader, good at culture building etc.

Covering/Internal for One Year - Necessary for some KPs especially if it's a non-IP position. They do need to write about their contributions and vision for that portfolio. Plus, some Cluster Sup may question the person in depth.

Covering for Two Years - Some KPs may be deemed not doing enough for confirmation. I have seen my previous P stretching the appt for 2 years.

Covering for more than Two Years - the best advice is to ask your friend to have an honest conversation with VPs or P. They might keep him because he is vain enough to assume the half-baked position (I know some teachers take pride in being a KP - covering or not). In actual fact, the SLs don't think he is suitable for that position but is too lazy to identify someone else. My colleague just stepped down from a covering position after 2 years because my P told him that the school din intend to confirm him based on his attitude/contribution to school as a covering KP.

Is it rosy up there? It depends!

My friend, who was a HOD for 7 years, was capped at GEO 5 for the longest time because she was advised that getting that promotion to SEO 1 would disadvantage her in ranking (???!!!). She also stepped down after her SH was promoted to SEO. I have friends who are stuck in GEO 4 for 6 years despite assuming a KP role for 5 years. Some schools do not intend to promote.

If your school has the culture of stifling promotion, do not assume the KP role. Declare tuition and earn better money elsewhere. If your school has the culture of matching the substantive grade to your KP position, then do consider because the pay does make a difference. Sadly, the schools in the latter category are few and far between. The very very top schools would do that to keep their good people. If not, do not be vain enough to take on any KP position.

for the younger officers, if u value work life balance, the best is to straight up tell your RO, any KPs or SLs that u are not interested in any extra roles or duties...

arrows usually fly to the younger ones first when the older ones reject workload

If you do this you must be prepared to hentak kaki at GEO3 or GEO4 for a mind-numbingly long time. It's one thing to 'pace' an officer's promotions, it's another thing to work your ass off and not get promoted for 8 years.

Nowadays if you want to experience any semblance of the advancement rate pre-2015, you need to be constantly meeting the expectations of a few subgrades above your current one.

Interview is usually around may or nov before the semestral break. Schools have to put up the nomination earlier. After which, the SL (or hods in some case for sh interview) will prep the interviewee.

For internal appointments, it is usually at the start of the year, and officers would be make known of that decision usually before year end hol.

younger officers actually dont really care anymore. mental health and happiness matter more.

and they are not stupid either. just do a simple calculation, one monthly tuition assignment is worth 3-5 increments, assuming that increments continue being miserable even after covid.

we can already observe more young officers opting for, or even fighting for flexi adjunct positions lol. not surprised if the ministry starts planning to add some forms of restrictions or additional workload for flexi adjunct soon, seeing that everyone keeps trying to go for that scheme

Ya to be honest, how old to be a flexi adjunct? Any age restrictions? I’m actually tired of being a teacher doing admin instead of teaching while my flexi earns morning than me

Am younger occifer..can confirm.

Don't think there's (currently) an age restriction - I've seen plenty of FAJTs in their early 30s. BUT pay is (I think) tagged to last drawn salary, so you won't get all that much if you haven't worked for too long as an MOE teacher.

Pay is by their grade and is per hourly. Quite attractive. Their geo4 pay flexi can be higher than a Geo 3 slave working in moe now .

But if you teach private tuition it is still advantageous to remain plugged in to the MOE system as an FAJT (regardless of your FAJT hourly rate), rather than going 100% private tutor. The pace of change is getting faster and faster now, and you need to be up to date with the latest curricular developments for your subject(s) in order to command the highest fees as a tutor and to actually produce results.