In 2004, I applied for a Ministry of Education teaching scholarship. The interview took place in March.
The interview at MOE HQ went relatively smoothly although there were some minor hiccups.
I didn't bring my first Chinese A/O level attempt certificate and had to get a replacement for five dollars.
At the beginning, I went into the room and after a brief exchange, the people interviewing me (two men and a woman) told me that this wasn't an interview for the teaching award and I was asked to leave the room while they clarified with the admin.
Later I was asked to come in again and they told me that they've been misinformed and they could interview me after all.
They asked me all sorts of abstract questions like how I could make History the most important subject in the curriculum and how the new emphasis on different teaching methods could benefit History.
I said something to the effect that the allowance of different teaching methods could give History teachers more leeway to venture out of the syllabus and current affairs like the recent bombing at Madrid could be discussed with the students since History is not just something fossilized in the past.
In the course of the interview, I made it clear that I would not want to be a principal because being a principal meant not being able to teach in the classroom and one of them said: "You're talking to two principals you know!" But they were quite jovial.
I got the award.