I'm writing this out of sheer randomness. So far, nothing interesting has been going on. But then again, I just completed Bad Company 2 in record timing! Kick ASS!!! I guess this sheer boredom does get to me sometimes. Oh well, I'm just savoring every single moment like it is my last because, moments don't last forever. It's the memories of those moments that sticks with you for life (and even death if you you a firm believer in the afterlife thingy[life after death is like sweating in the shower]).

Anyway, the days have been long and the nights have been warm. It's like I'd rather stay in school anyway for fear of being too sleepy to complete the journey home. I should get an Iphone just so that I can stay awake for the journey home. That justifies unnecessary spending right? It is going to be a life saver!

Three more weeks and it's the end of my 2nd Year in NTU. Everything is moving so fast..it's like i've got no time to sit down and soak it all in. Up to date, I've got a total of 14+8+1+2(impending)+1= 26 students to teach. Whoa!!! Well, if you think this isn't quite a feat it's because you're a teacher (or going to be one) and your students are (or going to be)failing because of you. It's funny how Newsweek came out with an article to improve the education system and nobody reads it. Ironically, it's in the library at NIE. Maybe, just maybe, they're too scared to read the truth? Because the truth of our fleeting education system is because of (surprise surprise!) bad teachers amidst a variety of factors. But teachers remain the main factor here.

I kinda agree with what the article reads. NIE are taking a bulk of those who were not successful in entering University/College. It has become a dumping ground for them. In addition to that, the also scoop up those who just left secondary school and also ahtiongs to fill up the MT department. They then pay them cheap cheap salaries and then, at the end of the day, they wonder- why is the turnover rate so high?

1) Little pay
Even a construction worker earns more. And don't be a simple minded dumbass to think that I'm just referring to banglahs. Those are what we call grunts. Go google construction workers. It is a field of expertise which requires at least a diploma in civil engineering.

2) Incompetency
Many times over, this has been mentioned across the board. IT is not the student's fault. After all, if you had a shitty ass teacher, would you bother with the teacher and the teacher's class? I sure as hell wouldn't. And that is how I've learnt the fine art of ponning classes.

3) Administrations
60% of a teacher's time is spent doing that isn't even related to teacher. Lesson plans, CCAs and a whole shit load of things that affects(adversely) the quality of (whatever seems to be) their teaching. In the teaching industry  (yes it is an industry!) red tape has spawned it's way through to the point that nobody can take it anymore. EVEN THE STUDENTS!

So what can be done to, well, change all this? Here's my 95cents worth:
1) Channeling the funds
Why spend so much on something that might be so useless? Programs like STP and a lot of other programs should be cut out. Instead, dangle the carrot in front of competent prospects from the three universities with lots and lots of money. Give them a contract of about 3-5 years. And if they choose to leave after that, by all means go. IF they choose to stay, up their salaries even more. If the ministry can channel the fundings into increasing the salaries of teacher, who wouldn't want to go into teaching? I mean, right now, people are choosing other professions other than teaching because of what that profession has to offer- more money. Though their interest  MAY be in teaching, just because it doesn't pay enough in accordance to their educational attainment.

2) Improving competency
I think, most of my reasons has to do with channeling the funds. After all, would you ask someone who failed in the test to teach you? *silence followed by a resounding NO!* Right now, that is what the education system is hiring to teach young impressionable minds. A few years later, they become exasperated at the number of kids that are failing. A way to improve this is to up the ante at the training institutes. Admit only those who want to go into teaching not because they don't have anywhere else to go but because they want to. At  the same time, they have to had acquired good results in order to be admitted. To go to an extreme end, cut out all programs and build up on the PGDE programs. By then, these graduates would have already specialized in their own fields. All they need is to be guided to the methodologies of teaching AKA pegadoggy or pedagogy, or pedagroggy or whatever. While this may sound radical, like a tumor or cancer, when removed early, it might save lives!

3) Wipe out!
After taking a couple of mods in NIE, I' have got to say that some of the lecturers there are simply truly awesome! So awesome that ONLY they can understand what they're saying. Nobody else does. What was it that they thought? Nobody knows. There are only a few who have satisfied the requirements to teach. So, the ministry should scout not only for potential teachers but also for these talented lecturers and not just hire anyone who shows interest. The special forces selection eventually cuts down the number of people who are interested to those who are actually the best. So why cant the education ministry do the same?

I can foresee a backlash of criticism coming from this article. Well, all I can say ask you is, what do you think? If you, my dear readers, fall into any of these category, well, i apologize for telling you the truth. Yeap! The truth does hurt my friends. But sooner or later, justice has to be served. Cancer has got to be stopped.

Lose a leg, save the body!
Life over limbs!

Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence