This is a rant. Sensei needs to get this off his chest.

This Friday, all the English teachers teaching the sixth graders had a meeting, which involved the vice-principal. Stakes were high. Our percentage passes for the national exam have been declining quite steadily these past few years. My vice-principal was naturally concerned; it’s her KPI to ensure that all her charges pass the exam.

Data is important, and the department had already sieved out the 38 students who didn’t pass their final year exam last year.

My vice-principal got down to business.

“Identify the 30 students whom we will try to save,” she commanded.

Being new to the school, I wasn’t familiar with her ways. I naively mentioned something about helping all students to the best of my ability — and leaving it to God to decide who would pass or fail. Such a comprehensive approach didn’t sit well with her.

She then got us to scrutinise the Excel file and surface those who were likely to fail the exam. All in a bid to minimise collateral damage, it seemed.

I’m just so appalled that she would see young children as statistics, especially because I enrolled my son into this primary school. If my son were to struggle in this subject in the future, would he be written off by this school leader? She must have entered the profession, bright-eyed and enthusiastic to help young minds once. What happened along the way such that she turned into this calculative manager who had no ounce of empathy?

I’m just glad that I have retained my idealism and optimism even after teaching students for so long. This gives me the moral ground to judge her lol.