National vs Vernacular Schools: Are these the ONLY two choices? Like these are the only choice available. I guess to most parents it really boils down to these two. There has been too much debate over the 2 choices. Especially about the national unity and the roles of schools and education. What saddens me is that the overly debated issue on national integration (which I feel it is more of national assimilation) has overshadowed the true objectives of schooling and education - a platform for discovering our children's true potential, nurture their skills and develop them - making us better people and contributing to society. While this debate continues, each generation of our children will lose out in the future. The world will not wait for us. Advancements in technology as well as innovation in teaching and learning and the reforms in education is happening in other parts of the world.
Simply put, we need not be guided by the limitation of choices. Parents need to be empowered or empower themselves to make choices. Let me share my experience here .
When my first child was one, some of my very well meaning and concerned friends , kept asking me which school I would send her to? They kept reminding me to register my child for school - otherwise, there will not be a place for me especially if it was a Chinese Vernacular school, especially the much sought-after one in Subang Jaya. Subang Jaya had only one Chinese school at that time.
Guess what? Finally, I did not register. After her preschooling years, we prodeeded to homeschooling. She followed her learning heart - learning whenever she wanted to, whatever she wanted to. We had some semblance of a curriculum which to many was not much of curriculum at all. We adopted the unschooling approach - something which suited us quite well at that time. The essence of unschooling is to allow the child to discover herself through exposure to various artistic or scientific disciplines and subsequantly pursuing of her passions wholeheartedly without unnecessary external interventions. This went on happily for a few years until one day, she gathered enough courage to ask us to send her to school. Being a person who enjoys being with people and who likes challenges, she likes that idea of schooling. And so her heart led her all the way to school . At 9 years of age , Amrita started her first year of schooling in Year 4 . Although we did not have much faith in our schooling system here, we nevertheless respected her decision and allowed her to pursue that course of educational experience at a private school . Our thoughts are reflected here. She struggled with the Malay subjects for about 3 months, but after that she learnt the ropes of it and eventually emerged top student in class and even bagged the Student of the Year award ! I know for sure the academic path is the right choice for her.
Our second daughter (now 10 yrs) - went through a similar experience, except for the fact that her passion and her heart lies in the arts. Drawing, music and "cultivating her imagination" - was important. Some call it day -dreaming , others may call it an utter waste of time ! - but I think the phrase "cultivating her imaginations" would be more appropriate. She can spend hours on end with her dolls and toys or just doodle away with her pencil and paper. A totally unstructured and random kind of person, being confined in a school environment would stifle her learning and she would probably be robbed of her artistic nature. So she has chosen to learn at home. That is her choice and we respect that too.
What is the higher objective of education? Is it social integration or personal development? Should we always think in terms of a clear duality all the time? I personally think, the education ministry have missed the point and we are all dragged into unnecessary limitation of choices. The real question for parents is not about National vs Vernacular Schools, but education system and process works - we cannot let others decide for our children.
Parents need to understand their children - after all, that's what parenting is about. Parenting cannot be outsourced. Personal development and eduction is part of parenting and cannot be totally outsourced to schools like business processes outsourcing to be managed by the KPIs depicted by strings of As. In the corporate environment, even out-sourcing partners have have a close relationship and regular KPI reviews, regular meetings to improve the delivery mechanism. What about our schools? Parents gets shut off.
Deep down we all are looking forward to an education reform in this country. But everyone seems to be either just complainng without doing anything about it, or perpetually waiting for the education ministry to do something.
Parents need to be more proactive for the sake of their children. Start now and start creating choices for them!
1 comment:
Interesting.
Post a Comment