S’pore ex-PE teacher, 29, shares why she paid 5-figure bond & left teaching
Her breaking point came when she couldn't unsee that she was "being a babysitter" to the kids after school.
A former Physical Education (PE) teacher in Singapore has shared her reasons for leaving the profession, despite her satisfactory salary and benefits. In an Instagram post on August 24, Sakinah, 29, explained that teaching was only a small part of her workload. The majority of her time was spent on administrative tasks such as managing extra-curricular activities, planning excursions, equipment maintenance, and attending meetings.
This led to her feeling burnt out over time. Sakinah also criticized the bureaucracy surrounding teaching in Singapore, including being forced to stay at school after lessons ended and being unable to pursue side hustles due to her civil servant status. The final straw for her was realizing she was merely a babysitter during an after-school swimming activity.
She felt her true calling lay elsewhere and expressed frustration at the realization that her brain and soul were meant for something bigger. After quitting, Sakinah has taken up teaching fitness independently and training freelance coaches. Despite facing backlash from some teachers accusing her of lacking resilience, Sakinah insisted that leaving was the right decision for her.
She emphasized that her post was meant to share her personal experience, not to diminish the value of teaching or educators. For those considering a career in PE, Sakinah highlighted the advantages, such as no marking, PE being a favorite subject among students, and the chance to inspire a love for movement. She also expressed deep admiration for all teachers who persist through the challenges.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
