I'm on course these few days, so I'm feeling a lot happier. Then again, I know that when I go back, there will be a lot of work waiting for me!

I realise that many secondary school teachers aren't very good in their Physics content! But I did not see any teachers from good schools -- perhaps they are better. Luckily I was a JC teacher last year, so my content is still there. I wonder how they would guide the new teachers going to their schools if their content was poor... I sure hope I don't become like them!

You know, the government always says that the leadership of the country is important. That we should concentrate all resources on the leadership of the country for they are the ones responsible for the success of the nation in the future. But I guess they have simply forgotten about the rest -- the majority of the country who ARE the future of the nation. Can you imagine that these students who don't want to learn or develop their thinking are the ones who will be the main workforce of the country? These students who can't even do the simple O levels now. No wonder the country is going downhill. And the government's current solution is to depend on foreigners. I think that is not the solution. If the quality of our people are not good enough, we should do something about it!

The problem is also caused by poor parenting, I guess.

I have been very busy in school recently, as can be seen from the date of my post! I leave school before 7 pm everyday, which is actually earlier compared with my average day at VJC (10.00 pm). But back at VJC, we do read the papers everyday. We do have 25 minute lunches and 1.5 hour dinners. And we do take a nap to rest as and when required. And we do have 1.5 hour exercise sessions. And we work long hours at VJC, but at a moderate intensity.

But here at Damai, I work a solid day from 7.25 am to 6.30 pm. 10 minute lunches are the norm. I try not to do any work at home as usual -- but I usually do half an hour of low-key work just not to feel guilty. I have very little time -- I would like to do more for my students but I really don't have the time. In any case, they're not good students anyway -- little discipline to do their homework or to revise their work. English marking saps up whatever free time that I have... As a combat reservist, I am supposed to exercise 3 times a week, but I simply don't have the time!

No wonder teacher recruitment is so high -- the turnover is high too. It is a job that is simply not worth the pay -- you have got to have some passion to work 55 to 59 hours a week. The average grad civil servant works 40 hours a week. Why do you think we have longer holidays? Not that long actually. On paper, teachers have 12 weeks of holiday a year, but realistically, it is just 6 to 7 weeks, or 30 to 35 days.

I sure hope my passion lasts...