Why working hard doesn't mean anything anymore...

J is asking me why my surge in posts and fervour.... as a qualifier to a previous post, this is a letter in the Forum. Is this really how we want it to be for our children?

LOCALST, May 6, 2006
Does MOE not accept my foreign degree?

I REGISTERED as a relief teacher with the Ministry of Education (MOE) while waiting for acceptance into the National Institute of Education and have taught in several schools.

Only recently, after speaking to a fellow relief teacher who is a National University of Singapore (NUS) graduate, did I learn that my pay is not that of a graduate's.

I am an honours-degree graduate from the University of Leicester, one of Britain's leading universities.

I did not follow the typical Singaporean route of entering a junior college after the O levels and subsequently enrolling in a local university.

I was from a good secondary school and I scored well enough to gain entry into one of the better junior colleges. However, I opted to do a diploma in mass communications at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and graduated in 2000.

I was aware of the fast-track degree programmes offered by foreign universities to local diploma-holders which enable one to obtain a degree in one or two years.

I could have done such a programme after my stint in the polytechnic but I decided to venture to Britain and do a full-time three-year degree course instead as my parents could well afford the cost of my studying there.

After I graduated with a second-upper honours degree in 2003, I stayed on in Britain to gain work experience, returning to Singapore last December.

Upon my return, I answered MOE's call for teachers as I enjoy teaching because I could make a difference.

The years spent on my studies - three years doing a diploma and three years doing direct honours - are equivalent to those of a local graduate - two years in junior college and three years in university, plus a year doing honours.

I also possess an advantage not many Singaporean teachers could claim to have - invaluable experience of both local and overseas education and experience of living and working abroad.

It has been almost two months since I applied to be a teacher and I was told repeatedly by MOE that my application was being processed.

I understand the need for MOE to be thorough but the wait is disheartening. What is even more disheartening is to find out that I have not been paid a graduate's pay.

Does MOE discriminate against foreign degree-holders? Are foreign graduates not deemed as good as local ones?

The Singapore Government has long expressed the wish for local talent to stay in Singapore. Now that I am back, incidents such as discrepancies in wages make me wonder if returning to Singapore was worth it.

Edina Rahman (Ms)