My Transfer Is Denied So Share This With An Administrator
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| Denied Again. But not defeated. |
I want to commit all my talent & skills to education in Sarawak because it is where the need for someone like me is greatest (Sarawak is usually at the bottom of national performance rankings.) but my determination is waned & my potential is limited at being confined to the jungle for a 7th year.
I am ambitious & I know that I can do much more with access to an airport, resources, people, internet & mobile connection.
Being denied not only frustrates me, it unsettles me.
Sarawak has an excess of English teachers (most of which are in Kuching & the surrounding districts teaching subjects other than English) so it's harder for me to move WITHIN Sarawak than it is to move OUT of the state.
Excess = very few new postings = not being able to move because there is no replacement for me.
Excess = very few vacancies = joining a waiting list where lots of more 'qualified' people are already waiting. Some for more than 10 years.
I've been a really good teacher transfer-wise.
No matter how tough it got, I rooted myself to my jungle school & gave my best. I only applied for transfer after my FOURTH year and I've never applied for transfer in the middle of the year. I have only applied for transfer at the end of the year because I am committed to my students & the programmes I have planned for the year.
After being left behind by juniors who have been religiously applying for transfers from their first year, I feel like I am being punished for my naivety & my desire to serve.
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| Boo Hoo!! What a cry baby!!! |
But, consider this:
1. Welfare reasons are accepted. NOT professional ones.
Every year, I state professional reasons for my transfers. See for yourself the screen captures of my transfer applications here: 2014, 2013, 2012. My appeal letter was also very professional. This is the reason why I have been denied.
After several unfruitful meetings with the desk officer at the State Education Department, I found out that they are NOT looking for professional reasons. They look for welfare reasons. The better your sob story, the higher your chances.
I do not have a sob story. I don't have a wife & kids waiting for me. I don't have any illnesses. My safety is not jeopardised. So... I'm not high in the priority list.
All I have is an excellent track record & a desire to do more for the state. Apparently, that's not good enough because they already have an excess of English teachers who can do the same.
2. Juniors, who applied for transfer earlier & more often, get it.
I have seen juniors at my school apply for transfer only after a few months of reporting in. They were persistent & aggressive in their applications.
I am now the second youngest English language teacher at my school after a new posting this year. I have seen 4 junior English teachers get transferred WITHIN SARAWAK before me. All with less than 3 years of service. Stab me now.
3. Mid-year applications more successful than year-end ones.
I have put my students & programmes first every year but it is getting very difficult for me to stay committed to an entire year at school because teachers who apply for transfer in the middle of the year get more success than those who apply at the end of the year.
This is because vacancies open up during the first part of the year due to retirements or transfers or promotions or new postings.
4. New teachers are placed in the urban schools.
Some new teachers get posted in urban schools because, when they were posted, there just so happens to be a vacancy there. They have bypassed already posted teachers like myself who have to wait to get in. And yet I have heard many of them complain that they did not get a better location. I'm sorry but this really makes my ears heat up.
5. New teachers who refuse postings can appeal.
There are teachers who appeal after refusing an unfavourable posting. They are then placed into another round of posting. They will probably have to wait 1 or more years to be placed but have a higher probability of a favourable placement.
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| If you think that I'm giving up, think again. I am only going to get better & more involved as time goes by. Geographical limitations will only delay me. |
As long as I still have a chance of making a difference & leaving a legacy, I'll stay.
The only difference is, with my location in the jungle, it'll only take longer to achieve my ambitions. But, the journey will be doubly amazing.
Still, I don't want to limit myself to my own means.
Perhaps there are some influential principals/administrators out there who are looking for what I have to offer:
-6 years of experience building up students of average to low English proficiency often breaking school excellence records.
-experience in motivation programmes for SPM & PMR students
-intimate knowledge of the SPM English language papers
-often going above & beyond the call of duty
-collaborating at the local, national & international levels
-involved with ELTC, Examination Syndicate, Matriculation Division & Curriculum Development.
I'm looking for:
-a challenging school that makes other teachers shake in their boots
-For the first time in 6 years, I am willing to consider offers to teach at good schools (not including Girls' Schools/MRSM/SBP)
-freedom & support to initiate programmes at school, state, national & international levels
-freedom & support to continue my involvement with various ministry departments
-freedom & support to travel to schools/conferences for consultations/talks/workshops
Contact me & we'll discuss the possibility a transfer to your school.
If you know of an administrator who might need someone of my capacity, do share this blog post with them.
Meanwhile, I'll continue to make the best of what I have to astounding results just as I have been doing for the past 6 years.
Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
