We used to live in a much simpler world, some would
argue. No internet and technology meant that children got to play in the
playground, develop their motor skills and have an all-round education rather
than just a thumb war with the computer / ipad / iphone etc.
So how do we educate our children in the 21st
century? Generation Z , ie., those born after the year 2000, who have never
known a time without technology. They hold information at the tip of their
fingers. There is now no excuse not to know! They are the most well informed,
tech-savy generation and will probably grow up to have careers that have not
even been invented yet! So, how do we prepare our next generation for a future
that seems so uncertain? A future with Brexit, the Trump Presidency and global
terrorism?
I may not have all the answers, but what I have come
to realise in my 15 years as an education counsellor, is that there is very
little we can guarantee about the future. All we can do as parents and
educators is to prepare the next generation with skills that will hopefully
equip them to take on whatever the future holds. There are no longer secure
lifelong jobs that our parents and grandparents used to have. A person going
into the workforce in 2016 is predicted to have at least 17 career changes! A
little too unstable for my liking but these are the stats!
In Kota Kinabalu alone, we now have alternative
education to consider. Home-schooling has become quite the norm, and the rise
of private and international schools has shown that parents in KK are looking
for alternative education. There are
still parents who will send their little ones off to boarding school in the UK,
Australia, Canada or USA but for most parents who cannot ween them off too
early, then international school or private home schools would be the option.
So how do we choose? Let us break it down here:
Public School – let’s start with the obvious. We are very blessed
in Malaysia to have primary and secondary school choices in 3 languages. So if
you are comfortable with the Malaysian education system which is now mainly in
the Malay-language medium from secondary school onwards, then we definitely
have enough government schools in KK to apply to. It is also important as a
Malaysian to have your SPM certificates for many government posts as well as
professional accreditation should you wish to work in that field in the future.
Private School – Should you
feel that public school may not give as much attention to your child as you
would like, seeing that typically the ratio of teacher to student is 1: 50,
then there are a number of private schools in Sabah that offer the government
syllabus and lead you to obtain your SPMs but at the same time have a better
teacher student ratio.
International
School – This option has become increasingly popular over
recent years with institutions sprouting out everywhere in Peninsular Malaysia.
In Sabah too, we now have the option to study IGCSEs and A-levels which are the
British equivalent to our SPM and STPM qualifications.
Alternative school – This option
is where it can get a little more complicated as one has to ensure that they
are studying a syllabus that is widely recognised and accepted for progression
into tertiary education.
Home schooling / private tuition – There are a
number of tuition centres now that are offering IGCSE / A-level private
tuition, enabling students to register and take the IGCSEs or A-levels as a
private candidate. This can be a great way to monitor your child’s own progress
and be able to pace his or her learning according to his or her individual
strengths. A number of state or national athletes have had to opt for this
option due to their rigorous training regimes. Some have chosen this out of
necessity if their child is a slow learner or may have other medical issues
that makes it tough to assimilate into a mainstream school environment.
Overseas
boarding school - Finally,
should you really wish to have an international education, then there are many
boarding schools in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and New Zealand open to
receiving international students into their mix of local students. The
environment of each country differs and at IEC, we always aim to find the right
fit for the individual as education is really not a one size fits all.
What about the young ones?
Now that we have talked about the different education
systems, mainly for primary/high school aged students; what about the
Pre-Schoolers or Young Learners between ages 4-6?
YOUNG LEARNERS
The phrase for young learners nowadays is ‘information
technology overload’!
Their minds are absorbing at possibly the fastest rate of
any generation due to the overload of information that is available nowadays.
Technology has taken over so much of our daily lives that it seems strange to
think back to how we managed back in pre-internet days.
So how do you choose the right pre-school for your
young learner?
I would highly recommend a young learners programme that has the
right balance of play, creativity, fun as well as solid basics. Starting this
coming Januray 2017, we at IEC are working to belp mould our young learners of
today by creating a programme that will hopefully meet all of the above aspects
and more!
Any good pre-school learning centre should have the following
categories:
a) Language Skills: English, Malay and Mandarin are a must to learn in
Malaysia and this is one of our key advantages as a country. The ability to master
all three languages and communicate in them is something unique in our country
and we need to continue ensuring our future generation are all 1 Malaysia
citizens by teaching them all 3 languages.
b) STEM Skills: STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics. These subjects tell us about how our world works and how we can
improve and advance as a human race. We do not need to start only in primary
school. There is so much to discover about our world early on as a young
learner.
c) Creative Arts: If we just engaged the left brain and filled it with
knowledge of mathematics and science and ignored the right brain; then the
child will not develop fully to realise his or her full potential. Personally
speaking, I feel schools focus too much on STEM subjects and ignore the
importance of the arts and humanities. Introducing
Social Sciences, Speech & Drama, Dance as well as Creative Arts will
balance the knowledge and development of the child as well as instil important
communication, leadership as well as creative skills necessary for their
future.
So, before enrolling your child into a learning
centre, do take time to go through their subjects, venue as well as teacher
qualifications. Hopefully by choosing
the right young learner programme, we can channel all that 21st
century technology and information into constructive and conducive learning
opportunities.
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Written by Jasmine Leong,
former National Swimmer, is the Executive Director of IEC, a School of
English Language as well as Further Studies Education Consultancy. She has 15
years of education service experience and is also passionate about performing
arts, especially musical theatre and dance. Logon to www.iec.com.my to find out
more about IEC’s courses and services.
