A letter published on October 6 on The Straits Times calling for a more structured environment for teachers went viral online.

The letter called for a more fixed time frame to their working hours, as currently teachers are working near 12 hour shifts.

And sometimes, even through the weekend.

In response to that letter, Miss Lee Wei Yin, wrote her own letter to explain why teachers should be expected to work longer hours, and sometimes even over the weekends.

In it, she claimed granting teachers a set working time is not feasible from a pragmatic, and service standpoint.

The grassroots leader also drew on her own experiences to justify the need for teachers to work more.

Here are her reasons why she feel teachers should definitely be made available more often.

School is a service

The crux of her letter stems from the mindset that school is a service.

An argument that some netizens found inherently silly.

More effort

A common theme among Lee's argument was that everyone involved had to play a part, and sometimes even go beyond the call of duty.

Both principals and teachers are expected to make that extra leap of commitment.

That is true, it is not only the teachers having to put in the extra work, principals do too.

That means everyone involved in educating our children is definitely putting in more than enough groundwork, both the principal, the teacher and, oh yeah, what about the parents?

You know, the people who brought the young ones into existence? Can't they help out a bit?

Nope.

Lee seemed almost flabbergasted that teachers might expect parents to make some form of concession for their children.

I mean it's not like they are the student's teacher or something, they are just the parents.

More teachers

The last point she brought up was a dig at the Education Ministry.

Which is a great point.

But as Mr Brown pointed out in his article addressing the topic, there was a flaw with suggesting that point in the article.

"Meaning hire MORE teachers? From where? Who would want to join the education sector where parents treat schools like they are the customer? And you think good teachers grow on trees?

Eh, you go and join lah. Be a teacher and help to "share the work load" leh."

Top image from Wikimedia

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