Thanking my teachers.

After more than 24 hours of oral examination discussions with countless students over the course of the last 2 weeks, juxtaposed against an insanely hectic work schedule over the last 4 weeks, I've found much more clarity in life. Indeed, as a recent MOE Instagram video has described, some students are indeed teachers!

1. The hedonic treadmill - I've mentioned this to many students and increasingly feel cognitive dissonance between what I am doing and what I am saying. As I aim for progressively bigger houses (condo > terrace), I feel simultaneously a sense of discomfort. I confided in some friends that this was going to be never-ending. Once I have bought a terrace/semi-D, then what next? Bungalows and GCBs? Just as Shanmugam has alluded to when he said that his empathy did not decrease as his houses got bigger? The hedonic treadmill is premised upon neurotransmitters firing in our brains whenever we accomplish more. I do not want to be on this treadmill.

2. My love for animals - Simultaneously, I am reminded of my discussions with two students from a certain family staying in Bukit Panjang, where I used to live (I used to live at Cashew Road). I now realise that it was possible to marry my aspirations for a landed home within 3-5 years (I've done calculations and it is quite feasible - just got to work hard!) with my love for animals. I have decided to convert at least 1-2 rooms into an animal sanctuary to raise awareness amongst children about the importance of kindness to animals. I believe I will keep to this promise. Over time, we will endeavour to convert Apex Education into a social enterprise: caring for animals, uplifting the lower income families and transforming societal awareness.

3. Weak students: Very glad that after immense effort, some weak students have improved. As I underwent driving lessons, I am reminded by my driving instructor that not everyone was good at studies. We can only do our best to help them. But we cannot give up on them - we have to keep trying different methods to help them. Once we have done our best, we will just have to leave it to the students themselves. Students who aren't good at their studies or who do not possess aptitude for the Sciences or English (despite much practice and guidance) would most definitely have strengths elsewhere; this is how life is. We have our strengths and we have our weaknesses. As LKY has famously explained, in life, we are dealt with a pack of cards. We do what we are good at. I hope students will do what they are good at and not try to 'climb Mt Everest' unless they really have passion for their weak subjects. As I discussed with another bright student, M, who coincidentally also floated the idea of an animal sanctuary for rescued and abandoned animals, I did not think one's worth was dependent on how smart or intelligent they are, or how much they can contribute to society. Each person and each child has innate worth. It cannot be that a mentally retarded person or an animal has less worth than a relatively intelligent man (who may be evil, like Stalin and Hitler). This is logically absurd.

4. Ethical dilemmas - doing the right thing. In recent weeks, I decided to take the moral courage to tell a student's parents that he is very, very weak. I was very concerned. I am reminded of a student whom I took many years back. She was very weak and I had to tell her the truth. I could not and should not sugar-coat and tell the parents or the child that progress was rapid. After all, my income was already comfortable and money was not the issue. Needless to say, they stopped tuition after awhile as I was honest about the student's profound weakness. A student whom I taught recently has a lot of potential but alas, his lackadaisical ways means that he is unable to reach his full potential. He may be a late bloomer; he may realise things in future; he may continue to be an under-achiever. We will never know. But I know that being honest to his parents that he did not do homework was the right thing to do and I do not know if his future tutors will be that honest with his parents. Earning a comfortable income, I see no reason to lie at all. There is an ethical dilemma but I am not conflicted. I will continue to be honest to parents if their child did not do homework or is not able to do well in their academics. Integrity is the cornerstone of many self-made men, and I believe I should not be an exception (lest the truth will catch up with me eventually). It is my honour and privilege to teach all of my students and I want the best for them - sometimes it is in their best interests (as in Family Law) for them to get another tutor, who is more strict and more assertive. Teaching more than 45 hours a week, I can hardly muster energy to nag repeatedly and reprimand harshly. Apex aims to provide quality education and we will constantly strive to improve ourselves to provide higher teaching quality amidst whatever difficulty we may face. It takes two hands to clap though and in most scenarios, the buck cannot stop at us. The buck stops either closer to us or closer to the student. Ultimately, we cannot sit for their exams.

I personally work more than 45-50 hours a week, and if my glide path towards a landed property by 2027-2028 goes into fruition (done the sums at 75% loan-to-value; income can support the loan), I will make sure that the property stands for two things:

1. Relentless hard work (there will not be external funding sources - such as parents - just like the condo) - I hope this can show students that the impossible is quite often possible. I am going against all odds to use my own money to purchase a landed property.

2. Service to others and the community-at-large (students, parents and animals). This brings purpose and meaning to our lives. We would otherwise be trapped on the hedonic treadmill.

Until then, and hope students and parents can attend my house-warming so that I can thank them personally for their invaluable insight into life and the meaning and purpose of life.

Thank you!

Mr Goh