Two things
Ok, so two things today.
Firstly, I saw yesterday’s newspaper that said that now there are to be tution subsidies for lower income families. All well and good except for one thing: tution class. At first I thought it was tution, as in school fees. But it’s not. It’s talking about those extra lessons parents make their kids take after school. Maybe it’s the generation thing that I grew up in. When did tution class become a necessity that required it to be subsidised by the government? If tution class is becoming a necessity, then what does this say about the education system in schools? That the teachers are so lousy that just attending class is not enough for the kids to do well? That kids are too lousy or lazy that they require a second session of ’school’ after school? Tution is an incredibly lucrative business for uni students. I know. Practically everyone I know has given/is giving tution to someone as a part time job. Except me that is. Cos I don’t see the necessity of tution. Maybe cos I never had any. Not really. Leastaways, I had tution only for Chinese and that’s cos I needed it to pass, not because I’m doing fine and want to score As. Tried Maths tution for a few weeks. Didn’t work out. I worked much better on my own. Maybe that’s why I make such a lousy teacher. Cos I never really got the whole teaching thing. I worked it out. I got into university without tution. Maybe it’s time for the government to revise its education syllabus if more and more kids are going for tution class in addition to their regular classes in school. There has to be something terribly wrong with the system. At this rate, why not just abolish school altogether and do homeschooling? Then the tutor can take over completely from the teacher. Most tutors are doing that already aren’t they? Assigning just as much homework as a regular school teacher, even teaching ahead of what the school teacher is doing. Then what do the kids do in class? Sit around and dream cos they’re secure that their tution teacher will teach them what they need to know? Then why does MOE still need to hire so many teachers for schools? Like I said, I think there’s something terribly wrong with the system.
Second thing. I saw, also in yesterday’s papers, that David Archuleta’s coming to Singapore!!!! Omg! Should I go??!! He’ll be at Bugis’ new shopping centre to promote his album and sign autographs and sing!! Ahhhhhh!!!! Ok, now I sound like a groupie. And it’s free admission. This is probably the closest I’m ever going to get to a real celebrity and all. Omg! I wanna go! But it’s Tuesday night. Haiz. Someone make up my mind for me!!!
It’s free? And you’re wondering if you should go? It’s free. Free!
I guess it’s not just our schools that leave much to be desired. No, don’t get me started – I could go on and on about what’s wrong with our schools.
Yes, I agree that the education system has gone down the drain. I think this is partly due to the high turnover rate in MOE teachers over these years. Undergrads who take advantage for teaching awards for the free uni education and guaranteed 3-year employment, only to quit (from high stress etc.).
I used to not want to teach tuition, but the money is good. And since it’s a national ideology that (1) students must have tuition classes (2) uni undergrads should teach tuition classes, I succumbed this year. For the money. And plus I was kinda bored with my 2-day week