Career as Teacher

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It's really interesting how these 2 posts alone show how the type of superior affects workplace morale. And what makes it even more challenging is that for teachers, so many stakeholders are involved and affected just from a single decision hmmm...

Sadly, having a good P is one of the most important factors, if not the most important factor, for me as an MM. Firstly, that’s because MM are normally appraised by the SLs. Secondly, your sai gang comes from them directly. Thirdly, they help map out your career path, if they have the ability to do so.

Down the line, teachers benefit from having having an understanding P/SLs. But some take advantage of that and that’s when we need SLs to be assertive too, and not simply saying yes to all kinds of request to reflect on the benevolent character.

Of course, the MM are crucial, as the SLs might not know exactly what these people are doing to drive KPI, sometimes at the expenses of teachers’ well-being. And there are also incompetent MM who simply cannot do their work, steal credits, being overly demanding etc.

If the SLs are good, they will be able to shape the culture and eradicate unhealthy practices that often involve the equal misery mindset.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Most people here unhappy about older farmers hogging the higher positions and higher pay packets and asking younger staff to do extra. By observation, most of these older farmers are Gen-Xers (currently 42-56 years). Roughly there are not many Boomers left as once hit 55-62 they asked to make way and the youngest boomer is as old as this island’s independence.

This maybe is inter-generational conflict, not with boomers but gen X it seems. Fwiw, average/median Gen X is 49 years, aka 6 years more before withdrawing cpf. Imagine as Gen X started work in 1997-2003 or even way back to 1990 where teachers were massively hired, not much emphasis on ranking cos epms came much later, can teach well then become kp, got a flat immediately no need to bto cause there there was surplus then and price to income ratio was more reasonable, enjoyed multiple salary revisions, faster promotions and increments to quickly hit salary cap of geo5 and purchased flat/private housing has appreciated already multiple fold. Stress much less throughout with parents more cooperative without any real-time handphone WhatsApp messaging to bug staff. Heck, the organisation on your side by saying just “Teach Less” cause students somehow “Learn More”. Back then if Gen X studied in uni, emplaced on higher pay scale, hitting ceiling earlier.

Not jealous or resentful. But some of these older Gen X now are HODs/SLs doing frankly not exactly that difficult admin work or PR, delegating out much and doing little, after all if there’s a complaint blame on the subordinate, coasting along easily and contributing much less but having higher increments/pay packets than younger officers doing the on the ground grunt work in a far less favourable climate than they were once in before they ascended…tsk tsk something somewhere is seriously broken.

The removal of sugarcoating in this post...Nice.

In the meantime, all boomers and Gen X keeping quiet...Just do bare minimum while collecting salary since already hit ceiling. Extra load throw as add-ons to younger officers to "groom" them for "faster promotion".

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi guys,

Would like to know what is the typical progression for EOs on FLP?

Thanks in advance!

Teacher in school for 2-3 years
Hq posting 2-3 years
LH/HOD - 2-3 years
VP - 4-5 years
P onwards - depends on performance

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The removal of sugarcoating in this post...Nice.

In the meantime, all boomers and Gen X keeping quiet...Just do bare minimum while collecting salary since already hit ceiling. Extra load throw as add-ons to younger officers to "groom" them for "faster promotion".

thats the problem of civil service jobs.

In private sector, if these boomers and gen x who are collecting high pay are just doing bare minimum, they will be asked to leave or retrenched. why would private firms pay people so much for doing little?

In public sector, there's no such thing. Hence the boomers n gen x exploit this. Once reach ceiling or near ceiling, just do bare minimum, every year c grade or c- also ok, anyway cannot be promoted higher liao, so just aim to keep the job.

the worst are the young ones who are thrown all these sai on the pretext of grooming.

These few years, i've seen more young officers with less than 5 years of teaching experience quitting as compared to the older ones.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

to "groom" them for "faster promotion".

Except the promotion is fxxxxing slow now. To be promoted at almost the same regular pace as the pre-2015 1-1A1-1A2-1A3 pathway now, you basically have to be a PSC scholar or a massive ball carrier (or both).

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Except the promotion is fxxxxing slow now. To be promoted at almost the same regular pace as the pre-2015 1-1A1-1A2-1A3 pathway now, you basically have to be a PSC scholar or a massive ball carrier (or both).

Think I have to agree with this… at least back then, when you work hard, you can see it being recognised very quickly, very tangibly.

These days, it seems that even for a consistent B/A-grader, it'll take at least twice as long to get promoted…

Well... what to do.. they want the recognition but dowan the work. **** flow downhill.. I think now with the new raise in salary... knn.. they get more and we get less but we do the work for them. Messed up crap.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

thats the problem of civil service jobs.

In private sector, if these boomers and gen x who are collecting high pay are just doing bare minimum, they will be asked to leave or retrenched. why would private firms pay people so much for doing little?

In public sector, there's no such thing. Hence the boomers n gen x exploit this. Once reach ceiling or near ceiling, just do bare minimum, every year c grade or c- also ok, anyway cannot be promoted higher liao, so just aim to keep the job.

the worst are the young ones who are thrown all these sai on the pretext of grooming.

These few years, i've seen more young officers with less than 5 years of teaching experience quitting as compared to the older ones.

Doesn't matter. My RO told me there's too many math and science teachers, they are more than happy if you leave the teaching service.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

thats the problem of civil service jobs.

In private sector, if these boomers and gen x who are collecting high pay are just doing bare minimum, they will be asked to leave or retrenched. why would private firms pay people so much for doing little?

In public sector, there's no such thing. Hence the boomers n gen x exploit this. Once reach ceiling or near ceiling, just do bare minimum, every year c grade or c- also ok, anyway cannot be promoted higher liao, so just aim to keep the job.

the worst are the young ones who are thrown all these sai on the pretext of grooming.

These few years, i've seen more young officers with less than 5 years of teaching experience quitting as compared to the older ones.

I don't understand this hate that you're expressing. If a person is expected to do X and does so, or as you call it "doing the bare minimum" what's the problem? Only idiots would go and do more than what you're paid to do. You're just setting yourself up to get exploited.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Think I have to agree with this… at least back then, when you work hard, you can see it being recognised very quickly, very tangibly.

These days, it seems that even for a consistent B/A-grader, it'll take at least twice as long to get promoted…

Consistently getting B/A grades means that the officer is consistently performing up to the expectation of a higher subgrade.. but the Ministry is unashamed about underpaying such high performing officers. Too bad, teaching is a calling, you survive on passion and drive.