the argument

they want us to bring a breathe of fresh air to teaching.

they want something new.
something exciting and dynamic.

and they want to keep the talent they have.



but they wont let me study law in UCL because.....

law isnt a teaching subject. hell no.
not even its value and rigour in critical thinking, argument deconstruction and analysis (which is relevant to, I dont know, KI, GP, english, literature) can make up for the fact that its a "professional degree".

but we'll let you study journalism? which isnt a professional degree?

and even then isnt that the whole point of going back to NIE. to learn the subject we shall eventually teach?

I guess the diversity of the background of your BA doesnt count for much in MOE.



except they still let you come to nie to learn how to teach english with a degree in law. just now through a scholarship... Ahhh...

so its not a matter of relevance i guess?? more a matter of the scholarship. but why is the scholarship so special? the cost!


wait. no. a law degree cost as much as any degree in arts in the UK. The time spent? Nope. wrong again. entering the bar? well you dont HAVE to enter the bar you know. so whats the big deal then... whats the big deal MOE....


i guess at the end of the day its the fear that Ill run away with my law degree to go practice law instead of teach. but wtf. isnt that the point of the bond? to show my willingness to commit. to show that im serious about the job.

Sigh. you just CANT trust scholars these days. really cant tell what goes through their minds.



so we restrict the choices, for our future leaders, and cross our fingers hoping they will want to stay with us. we limit the same type of people to enter the profession, and pray that they will be some change, and that our education may become more diverse, dynamic, vibrant...



i dont even want to do law thaaat much. its just disturbing how inflexible and narrow minded such conditions can be. and to think these are the people they have encouraged me my entire schooling life to challenge possibilities and think outside the box. this is what i call the grand irony.


but for the record, you cant compare law to medicine.
A) the cost
B) the number of years
C) practioners as a percentage of people who study the course

not everyone who studies law becomes a lawyer. large numbers enter business, politics and other careers. and the reason why people dont mind studying law and not being lawyers is because of the cost and numbe rof years they spend studying it. its not like wasting a half million dollar education and 5 years of your life on a medical education and then deciding to start a restaurant. its just NOT the same.


but my argument is lost, i can see. the government will not relent. its a sacred cow, he says. never been done before. never will they let someone study law or medicine on a scholarship...

except for the SAF, which is alot more open and flexible about such matters. though the relevance of reading law in being a platoon commander sure begs a hell lot more questions than to being a teacher.


ah well.