I REFER to the Jan 7 letter by Mr Ho Kong Loon, 'Get feedback from teachers', and would like to recount my experience as a teacher.

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Congratulations, Mdm Tan. How so refreshing to hear that someone is prepared to speak up, if only for the benefit, in your case, for the the good students you teach.
I pray and hope you are still teaching, after that incident. Simply put that you have NOT been sidelined, castigated or chastised.
Hopefully others will also speak up. After all, its only to make things better, so there is nuffin wrong with that.
Kudo's to ST for even printing your letter.

"We encourage our young people to speak their mind. Let us start with teachers themselves and, in Mr Ho's words, let 'VIP visitors be accorded unimpeded access to all channels of feedback' so 'ministerial visits to schools, and those carried out by other top education officials, will be far more productive'.

Let all VIPs see the school for what it is and not what the school elite make it out to be for VIPs to see. "

is the writer trying to say that her access/feedback to the VIPs are being blocked, and the school are putting up a nice show in front of the VIPs? hm...

I thought that there is still a gag on civil servants commenting on their policies? :)
Anyway, all the best to you, Mdm Tan.

Riddle: What is the different between a teacher and a train engineer?

A teacher train the mind, and an engineer minds the train.

Why is a riddle like a pen?
Because it is not good without a point.

So, the issue on discussion is not when to speak your(teachers') mind, but more about the point of speaking your mind to the VIP.

Anyway, don't give a piece of your mind to others, or else you loose your peace too. Hold your peace in mind is still best to be a wise teacher anyway. happy teaching comes from a contented and peaceful heart.

There are ample opportunites for feedback and there are also many means to do so. It can be direct face-to-face or electronics way like emails etc. Some teachers do not have the guts to give feedback yet complained that their views are not heard.

What's the incentive for teachers and principals to speak frankly? Faster promotion?

i sense some kind of frustration there?

Wayang (initiatives and big bang projects) - Promotion

Speak their mind - kana chop (but knowing Civil Service cannot chop, so just cold storage lah)

betterment, I agree with you that some teachers do not have the guts
to give feedback, yet complained......

Many teachers are far too meek for their good.

{Let all VIPs see the school for what it is and not what the school elite make it out to be for VIPs to see} Mdm Tan Li Quinne

Which principal, in his/her right mind, would endorse such a move? We all know that almost all principals are only concerned about going for gold. If any of their teachers speak their minds to visiting VIPs, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be marginalised, disciplined, threatened or be pressured to leave the school.