They follow the pattern of the wind you see.

I think what our Education Minister highlighted in his Teachers' Day speech was indeed interesting. He mentioned 7 things that were going to change to improve the lifestyle of teachers in school. They are:

1. to reduce the number of positions and bureaus in schools.
2. to reduce the number of internal exams.
3. change or revamp the clerk system in schools.
4. to standardise important courses.
5. to give promotions to certain positions and grades.
6. to reward teachers who improve school results
7. to allow teachers in rural areas to transfer to town areas (under observation still).

These items definitely have received thunderous applause from some especially when there are important keywords like reduce, promote, reward and  transfer.

Mind you, I'm all for those things mentioned. I just have a few queries related to those things mentioned.

1. Reduce the number of bureaus in schools = are there any bureaus in schools now that are not needed or irrelevant? If yes, why were they established in the first place? If he did not mention this, would the bureaus in schools remain?

2. To change the clerking system? What is wrong with it? Is it because there is abuse? Do teachers feel like they're being dog-pounded by a very abuse prone system? Are teachers RIGHT NOW suffering from the current system? Has it reached a breaking point that there HAS TO BE some sort of change or there'll be serious repurcussions?

3. RM1800 for teachers who improve school exam levels? How is this going to be given? Raise in the basic salary? Annually? Monthly? Why aren't teachers in the current system being rewarded for good performances? If they are, why is it not enough? What is the current lapse within the system that does NOT recognise teachers' contributions?

4. Transfer transfer transfer. Isn't there a system now that monitors a fair exchange system? Aren't GURU CEMERLANGs supposed to be sent to rural areas because they get higher salaries? Isn't there a grace period where new teachers are supposed to replace old teachers in these areas so that teachers don't remain in those places involuntarily for too long? Is that system not working?

I find it troubling when these questions arise.