Why leave us out?
Pre-school teachers should be included in Teachers' Day
Letter from George Lee
05:55 AM Sep 03, 2009
SEPT 1 was Teachers' Day and it was heartening to see advertisements in print and on television, exhorting the virtues of the teaching profession.
But these inevitably talked about primary, secondary and tertiary educators. What about us, the early childhood educators?
Do we not count as educators in the eyes of the Education Ministry and the other relevant authorities? After all, do we not preside over the critical years of growth, as by the age of five, a child has already developed 92 per cent of an adult brain?
Do we not teach the young ones with the same degree of dedication and inventiveness as a primary or secondary school teacher? Many would argue, and justifiably so, that early childhood educators indeed do more than a typical teacher - on top of teaching, they provide the crucial care these two- to six-year-olds need, while their parents are busy at work, holding up the economy of this country.
Doesn't this fact alone justify a small advertisement on Teachers' Day by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the ultimate gatekeepers of the more than 750 childcare centres in Singapore?
There are approximately 6,000 preschool teachers in Singapore. Don't we merit some recognition?
Why make us feel like the "poor cousins" of this noble profession of teaching?
Url in TodayOnline:
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC090903-0000059/Why-leave-us-out?
For completeness, this was the original letter that was sent to the Today newspaper on 01Sept:
Why treat us like the 'poor cousins' of the teaching profession?
Today, being Teachers' Day, it is heartening to see advertisements in both the print and TV media, exhorting the virtues of the teaching profession. But they inevitably relate these virtues to primary, secondary and tertiary educators.
But what about us, the early childhood educators?
Do we not count in the eyes of the ministries as educators?
Do we not preside over the most critical years of a growing human being, when by the age of 5, a child has already formed 92% of an adult brain?
Do we not teach the young ones to the same degree of dedication and inventiveness as a primary or secondary school teacher?
Many would argue, and justifiably so, that the early childhood educators are indeed doing more than a typical teacher by the mere fact that, on top of teaching, they are providing the crucial care that the 2- to 6-year olds need, while their parents are busy holding up the economy of this country.
Doesn't this fact alone justify a small advertisement in the papers today by MCYS, who are the ultimate gatekeepers of the over 750 childcare centres (or approximately 6000 preschool teachers!) in this country, to recognise us?
Why make us feel like the 'poor cousins' of this noble teaching profession, whenever we open the daily papers every Teachers' Day?
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