I suppose the truth had finally dawned on me. If a few yesterdays ago, I, with very little commitment would voice out, “Oh, I lost RM400 every month because I went and furthered my studies!” now painful realization makes its presence felt. That RM400 every month would help a long way to make my life more comfortable and worse, that RM400 is mine! I’ve been robbed blind.
Needless for me to paint the picture, it’s been drawn for you by the media and the huge cries from the public, especially those in the DG41 schemes who felt shortchanged by the system, this is about the discrepancy in the remuneration system, this is about some upper echelon people, whose decision would decide the fate of many, failing to do their homework.
There are two parts to my story. The first is ‘funny’, the second is tragic. So it is a kind of a Tragicomedy.
Chapter 1:
I started my profession as a teacher in the early ‘90s, fresh from the Teachers Training College with a salary of – pittance, I didn’t mind that. I got to do what I had always wanted to do – teach. I enjoyed those earlier years, working with the children, watching them grow. I got myself a wife and was overjoyed when she joined a maktab to become a teacher like me. What could be better than two people sharing their lives and professions?
Several years later I joined a university and earned a degree. My wife couldn’t join my venture because of several juniors had by then joined us at home and needed lots of TLC. Thank you Wife for your sacrifices and understandings. I could never repay you enough for willingly undertaking them.
I returned to teaching three years later and was ‘promoted’ to DGA41 (Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan SISWAZAH). The capitalization and the colonization are mine to express the import of the words. Work got a bit more tedious as my new audiences are now semi-adults – lots of whims, lots of scenes. I coped, as I had enough tutelage at both the maktab and university to cater for and counter those antics.
This year, a salary hike was announced. All Public sector workers would benefit. A degree holder like me would get 15% increase; my wife a non-degree holder gets 25%. Thank you, thank you, bloody generous of you! Yay! Jubilation! Celebration! Exultation!
Then, came the ‘Crunch’. We sat down one night and studied the ‘new’ salary tables recently released by the relevant authority, joyfully thinking of what we could do with the extra income. Putting the tables side by side, mine a DGA41, my wife’s, a DGA32, suddenly we found out that under the new salary scheme, the difference in our monthly salary is a mere RM6.00 (Yes a mere SIX Ringgit). We looked at each other and burst out laughing. The mirth most probably was due to disbelieve and shock. Why on earth did I bother to bust my arse going to university for an advantage in income of only such a miniscule amount over a person, who not only is a non-graduate, but is also several years my junior in length of service?
Oh, come now, quit whining! It’s funny, please laugh! Don’t worry, I won’t feel offended if you do. The joke is on me! It is a RM6.00 worth of a joke.
End of Chapter One.
Chapter 2
I couldn’t remember exactly, but I believe there 30 of us in that class at the maktab, way way back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. I had lost touch with most of them, but for sure, one, for love of academia, got her masters degree, one for love of money, quitted and started a business in logistic, one for being independent and self-respecting, lost his job, and the rest, me included, for the love of imparting knowledge, remain what we are – teachers.
At this juncture, I think I should clarify something. A teacher is not a bloody cylinder of wax with a wick in the middle to be burnt and discarded when melted. That is a misconception that was introduced to idolize the teaching profession. Maybe it was necessary and relevant to do so in the days of old when teachers didn’t require substantial monetary reward for existence and subsistence. When pupils humbled themselves and ‘served’ the ‘idols’ in place of Ringgit and Sen. I do not feel that teachers want adoration and idolization any more these days. They are now professionals wishing only for justifiable remuneration for duties duly performed. It is as simple and as mercenary as that.
OK, got that out of the way, good. Let’s get on then.
Many among us, at least those with whom I am still in touch with, for his or her own reason never ventured to university. I am sure complacency is not an excuse any of us would use to justify that. Perhaps opportunity forgone or inopportunity would be better explanations for remaining as non-grads. Which is fine as they still get to do want they want to do and get paid for doing it. As time went on and jobs performance was good, so up went their salaries and in due time, with all the accompanying brouhahas, found themselves promoted to the DGA32 scale. Good for them.
I, on the other hand, took the road less traveled by. And by God, did I have to pay for doing that. I busted my brain, my arse and myself to earn that degree. I lost half my pay for three years while I was at the university, at the same time too, I forwent my seniority, and I ended up owing tons of money to make it through it all. All in the name of answering the call for teachers to better themselves academically ( and financially, I assumed at that time.) After all it wouldn’t make sense at all that the paper chase is not accompanied by monetary gain, would it?
So I ended up as a DG41 teacher, what could be so bad about that? For one, the night before I sat down and studied the salary tables, curious to know what would I be making if I hadn’t embarked on that self-bettering journey. I gasped when I found out out that I could have been RM400 richer every month had I sat on my arse and let the world roll by while the grass grew under my feet. Man, I felt like the rug had been pulled from underneath me. This must have been the slickest scam ever pulled on anybody. So, despite all my and my family’s sacrifices, despite all the hard work that I put into getting that piece of paper, despite all the financial strain I put on my family, it ended up stabbing me in the back. I felt so cheated. How could this happen? Why do you people up there allow this to happen? All that trouble just to get poorer.
Note:
In a letter to the editor in a Malaysian daily today : an idiot who goes by the penname ‘Guru Kampong, Temerloh’ wrote something about teachers when they join the teaching profession should not think about getting rich through this profession. This profession is about “derived satisfaction”. Your students succeed; your reward is your satisfaction. I’d say feed your family then with that ‘derived satisfaction’, pay your monthly bills then with that ‘derived satisfaction’, put a roof over your head with that ‘derived satisfaction’. You must be from a kampong indeed if you are still deluded by the thought that your ‘sacrifice’ means a hoot to anybody. Grow up please! Wake up! This is not about getting rich, this is about getting what is mine (or what should / could have been mine)
Chapter 2 ends.
Needless for me to paint the picture, it’s been drawn for you by the media and the huge cries from the public, especially those in the DG41 schemes who felt shortchanged by the system, this is about the discrepancy in the remuneration system, this is about some upper echelon people, whose decision would decide the fate of many, failing to do their homework.
There are two parts to my story. The first is ‘funny’, the second is tragic. So it is a kind of a Tragicomedy.
Chapter 1:
I started my profession as a teacher in the early ‘90s, fresh from the Teachers Training College with a salary of – pittance, I didn’t mind that. I got to do what I had always wanted to do – teach. I enjoyed those earlier years, working with the children, watching them grow. I got myself a wife and was overjoyed when she joined a maktab to become a teacher like me. What could be better than two people sharing their lives and professions?
Several years later I joined a university and earned a degree. My wife couldn’t join my venture because of several juniors had by then joined us at home and needed lots of TLC. Thank you Wife for your sacrifices and understandings. I could never repay you enough for willingly undertaking them.
I returned to teaching three years later and was ‘promoted’ to DGA41 (Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan SISWAZAH). The capitalization and the colonization are mine to express the import of the words. Work got a bit more tedious as my new audiences are now semi-adults – lots of whims, lots of scenes. I coped, as I had enough tutelage at both the maktab and university to cater for and counter those antics.
This year, a salary hike was announced. All Public sector workers would benefit. A degree holder like me would get 15% increase; my wife a non-degree holder gets 25%. Thank you, thank you, bloody generous of you! Yay! Jubilation! Celebration! Exultation!
Then, came the ‘Crunch’. We sat down one night and studied the ‘new’ salary tables recently released by the relevant authority, joyfully thinking of what we could do with the extra income. Putting the tables side by side, mine a DGA41, my wife’s, a DGA32, suddenly we found out that under the new salary scheme, the difference in our monthly salary is a mere RM6.00 (Yes a mere SIX Ringgit). We looked at each other and burst out laughing. The mirth most probably was due to disbelieve and shock. Why on earth did I bother to bust my arse going to university for an advantage in income of only such a miniscule amount over a person, who not only is a non-graduate, but is also several years my junior in length of service?
Oh, come now, quit whining! It’s funny, please laugh! Don’t worry, I won’t feel offended if you do. The joke is on me! It is a RM6.00 worth of a joke.
End of Chapter One.
Chapter 2
I couldn’t remember exactly, but I believe there 30 of us in that class at the maktab, way way back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. I had lost touch with most of them, but for sure, one, for love of academia, got her masters degree, one for love of money, quitted and started a business in logistic, one for being independent and self-respecting, lost his job, and the rest, me included, for the love of imparting knowledge, remain what we are – teachers.
At this juncture, I think I should clarify something. A teacher is not a bloody cylinder of wax with a wick in the middle to be burnt and discarded when melted. That is a misconception that was introduced to idolize the teaching profession. Maybe it was necessary and relevant to do so in the days of old when teachers didn’t require substantial monetary reward for existence and subsistence. When pupils humbled themselves and ‘served’ the ‘idols’ in place of Ringgit and Sen. I do not feel that teachers want adoration and idolization any more these days. They are now professionals wishing only for justifiable remuneration for duties duly performed. It is as simple and as mercenary as that.
OK, got that out of the way, good. Let’s get on then.
Many among us, at least those with whom I am still in touch with, for his or her own reason never ventured to university. I am sure complacency is not an excuse any of us would use to justify that. Perhaps opportunity forgone or inopportunity would be better explanations for remaining as non-grads. Which is fine as they still get to do want they want to do and get paid for doing it. As time went on and jobs performance was good, so up went their salaries and in due time, with all the accompanying brouhahas, found themselves promoted to the DGA32 scale. Good for them.
I, on the other hand, took the road less traveled by. And by God, did I have to pay for doing that. I busted my brain, my arse and myself to earn that degree. I lost half my pay for three years while I was at the university, at the same time too, I forwent my seniority, and I ended up owing tons of money to make it through it all. All in the name of answering the call for teachers to better themselves academically ( and financially, I assumed at that time.) After all it wouldn’t make sense at all that the paper chase is not accompanied by monetary gain, would it?
So I ended up as a DG41 teacher, what could be so bad about that? For one, the night before I sat down and studied the salary tables, curious to know what would I be making if I hadn’t embarked on that self-bettering journey. I gasped when I found out out that I could have been RM400 richer every month had I sat on my arse and let the world roll by while the grass grew under my feet. Man, I felt like the rug had been pulled from underneath me. This must have been the slickest scam ever pulled on anybody. So, despite all my and my family’s sacrifices, despite all the hard work that I put into getting that piece of paper, despite all the financial strain I put on my family, it ended up stabbing me in the back. I felt so cheated. How could this happen? Why do you people up there allow this to happen? All that trouble just to get poorer.
Note:
In a letter to the editor in a Malaysian daily today : an idiot who goes by the penname ‘Guru Kampong, Temerloh’ wrote something about teachers when they join the teaching profession should not think about getting rich through this profession. This profession is about “derived satisfaction”. Your students succeed; your reward is your satisfaction. I’d say feed your family then with that ‘derived satisfaction’, pay your monthly bills then with that ‘derived satisfaction’, put a roof over your head with that ‘derived satisfaction’. You must be from a kampong indeed if you are still deluded by the thought that your ‘sacrifice’ means a hoot to anybody. Grow up please! Wake up! This is not about getting rich, this is about getting what is mine (or what should / could have been mine)
Chapter 2 ends.
2 years later - Teachers are still not happy about this as evidenced by this letter to the editor:
Guru DG29/41 terus gigit jari
http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Monday/Surat/20080915001247/Article (15/09/2008) Berita Harian Online
http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Monday/Surat/20080915001247/Article (15/09/2008) Berita Harian Online
SEJAK akhir-akhir ini, suara Guru DG29/41 yang tidak mendapat DGA32 sudah semakin sepi dan seakan mereka terpaksa menerima hakikat walaupun sangat pahit untuk ditelan. Segala luahan dan keluhan mereka di media tidak didengar dan perjuangan melalui kesatuan guru tidak memberi hasil diharapkan. Kesatuan guru adalah saluran yang betul bagi guru DG29/41 untuk membela nasib mereka tetapi apa yang berlaku cukup mengecewakan, terutama bagi guru DG29/41 yang baru dilantik ke DG41 dari DG29 tanpa mendapat DGA32 yang belum mencapai tujuh tahun dalam DG41. Sebagai contoh mudah, guru A dari DG29/41 yang sudah berkhidmat selama lima tahun dalam DG41 dari DG29 (sembilan tahun) hanya berada pada P1T9, dengan gaji pokok RM2,419.45. Tetapi guru B dari DG29/32/41 sekarang sudah bergaji RM2,871.70 pada P1T14 daripada lantikan DG32 (empat tahun) yang juga dari lantikan DG29 (10 tahun).
Perbezaan gaji mereka ialah RM452.25 atau lima tahun berkhidmat, pada hal guru ini sama tempoh perkhidmatannya iaitu 14 tahun dalam bidang dan bawah bumbung sama. Walaupun rundingan demi rundingan dibuat antara kesatuan guru dengan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam dan Kementerian Pelajaran, ia terlalu umum dan tidak diperhalusi dengan betul yang dikhususkan untuk membela nasib guru DG29/41. Akibatnya, keputusan yang dicapai tetap merugikan guru DG29/41 malah menjarakkan lagi 'jurang' dengan DG29/32/41 kerana keputusan tetap lebih menguntungkan guru DG29/32/34/38/41 yang sudah banyak mendapat faedah yang sangat besar sebelum ini tanpa berjuang seperti DG29/41.
Dalam situasi ini, hanya kesatuan saja menjadi harapan tunggal guru DG29/41 untuk dibela nasib mereka.
CIKGU PRIHATIN, Kuantan, Pahang.
For God's sake MOE/JPA/whomever it might concern, do something about this please. What does it take to make you people move your collective heavy asses - a revolution or something?
