School

Every year, this time of year, I get queries on my experience with Sri UCSI. As big K wraps up six years there, perhaps I can document my journey through that school.

When she started at that school in 2010, quite a few private schools offered the local syllabus still. There was demand for the local syllabus still -- mainly because, in my view, Maths and Science were taught in English. Sadly, that was the final year for such a policy. The following year's students had to study the two subjects in BM and English.

That, in my opinion, eroded the demand for local syllabus private school education. Many schools, including Sri Nobel, moved entirely to international syllabus for primary and secondary school. Sri KL had moved by 2010, if I'm not mistaken.

Sri UCSI wanted to do the same but pressure from parents with children doing local syllabus at the school led to two "streams" at the school. Sri UCSI proceeded to start an international school.

As I started my search for secondary school, albeit a little late in 2015, I realised the proliferation of private schools or learning centres over the past few years.

Many are small learning centres, a few are large and considered premium ones, such as Taylor's and Rafflesia.

Oddly enough, not all expensive schools work for the kids. I encountered one parent moving her son to Sri UCSI from Rafflesia. A few others withdrew from Sri UCSI for Taylor's and Sunway International.

My take? All schools will have their pluses and minuses. For me, the time spent commuting to school is equally important as the the type of school that suits the kids.

Big K is now in a school that she thoroughly enjoys though the hours are longer than what she had in Sri UCSI. So,  from grumbling about being home from school late, she now talks about missing school on weekends! Sure hope the feel-good factor lasts.