Wednesday, August 24, 2016

National/Private/International Schools??

My kids are a little bit like nomads...

All 3 of them studied in Chinese primary school, before they went through a series of different education:

1. The eldest joined a private school after completing secondary 3 in a national school.
2. The middle child joined a private school a few months after entering secondary 1 in a national school. (PT3 was introduced the year she started her form 1). And entered an international school after her form 3 exam
3. The youngest one joined private school right after standard 6, and will switch to international school next month for year 10 (she is currently in form 2)

Not sure shall I thank or blame our ever changing education system...

Actually there are many students from national schools doing very well in major exams, including SPM and A Level. Some parents will say "We were also from national school and we survived well too. No point of sending them to private or international school".

But how many choices we had last time?

Yes. It very much depends on the kids. Those hardworking kids will survive academically. 

But I also found out many students from private and international schools are doing as well too, and they are also as polite and humble (I must admit I once stereotyped those from expensive international schools as spoilt rich kids).

But education is not only about academic achievement!

Do they enjoy their schools, teachers and friends? Are there sufficient facilities and activities for them to take part and unleash their potential? Do they have more dedicated teachers than the less dedicated and inspiring ones? (trust me, every school has good and not very good teachers, but the ratio is different)

I believe every kid is like a seed that requires specific type of fertiliser and environment. Some may be strong in science subjects and others in humanities subjects. But all need a positive and inspiring environment, just like sunshine and water. 

If you can afford, are you willing to pay for a better fertiliser and environment for a plant to grow better?

5 comments:

Candy said...

I too sent my girl to a private school in her secondary years because of our education system and syllabus. In fact there are more and more parents opt for private school nowadays and we know the reason well enough.

YuinTing said...

Hi Candy, thanks for sharing your thought here. It is sad that we pay income tax yet still have to fork out a huge sum of money for education which is suppose to be free, and with quality.

Jean said...

YT,今天才看到你的这一篇部落文。经济允许,我的孩子将不会在国立学校就读。
这不是一个公平竞争的平台。学校的特有福利都让老师的孩子享有,如交换生计划,冬令营,夏令营等等。没有背景如我们的学生,只能默默耕耘,学业表现不出色的就是被放牛。
女儿最近也希望读foundation再接下去拿一个degree in animation.因经济能力,我们只能要求她先读F6.她也问我,为什么艺术系也需要看学术文凭?为什么也要stpm?完全没有关系。而且在本地读大学,也还要修历史,为什么?
我真的答不出。
所以您能力允许,别让孩子在国中受罪。

YuinTing said...

Jean, 對不起,今天才看到妳的留言。
妳的女兒在form 6有拿美術科嗎?本地大學有提供animation課程嗎?若有的話,或許她可以嘗試申請本地大學。
身為母親,我了解你的苦衷。
其實我也曾想過就讀美術,但我母親要我讀form 6 (我兩個弟弟到美國深造)。過後我被UPM錄取就讀Science of Human Development. 畢業後當了保險公司的訓練員。其後隨夫去美國一年,回來後曾想再申請相關工作卻發現懷孕了。當時我竟然膽粗粗成為了freelancer,接了一些工作在家裡做設計 (在美國時我自修與設計有關的軟件如Photoshop, Adobe Illsutrator etc,並閱讀了大量與設計有關的書籍)。或許當年市場競爭沒那麼強,我這半路出家的和尚還能survive. 回想起來,懷孕第一胎竟成了我事業的轉捩點。
但我想就算多讀兩年F6也不會吃虧 (這等於A level)。很多孩子在一兩年內想法會有所改變,可能她會發現除了animation以外還有其他有趣的課程。她也有機會申請本地大學。When a door is closed, another door is open. 無論他在哪一種學府,只要她求上進,將來一定會成功的!加油!

Jean said...

Clara,谢谢您的分析与分享!感恩!!我一定会把您的回复和分享让女儿读。一直以来我以为你是在美国读美术设计之类的。😄😄三大语文也那么好!敬佩敬佩!