I read the report on Jan 8 ("MOE reviewing free school parking") with interest.

When read plainly, it sounds logical that teachers who drive to work, like the rest of us, should be made to pay their share of parking fees.

But why begrudge our teachers, who educate and mould our children, a little perk that comes with the job?

Is that too big a sacrifice for society to give to our teachers? If, as the Auditor-General Office's report said, it is "tantamount to hidden subsidies for vehicle parking", then the Ministry of Education should just state it as a perk for teachers of such schools, or better yet, make it an "open subsidy".

Teachers report to work much earlier than most other workers and often stay back late.

Allowing free parking is just helping them to have a slightly better quality of life.

I sincerely hope the Education Ministry responds positively, as not everything is about dollars and cents.

Ng Kei Yong