AN UNEXPECTED PATH
After earning a master’s degree in education and psychology in China, Ms Wang taught at a university but found the work unfulfilling. She was teaching just six hours of classes a week – a schedule her mother likened to retirement.
She moved to Singapore in 1995 and took a job as a secretary. To supplement her income, she started tutoring four children in Mandarin, including two whose parents could not speak the language.
After relocating to the east of Singapore, she left her secretarial role and joined a tuition centre in the area, where she worked for six years. The centre, which no longer exists, had more than 2,000 students at its peak in the 2000s.
“I felt like a fish in water. It was a suitable environment for me,” she recalled.
Her attention to detail earned her employers’ trust, and she eventually took on responsibilities including HR and curriculum planning. Parents praised her teaching, particularly her clear pronunciation.
