More
parents are sending their children, aged between 7 and 10, for private tuition.
They cite competitive school environment,
crowded classrooms and changing standards of language as reasons. But there are
also perceptions that extra tuition places unnecessary stress on the child.
Sharon Lieu, a 36-year-old mother of three,
sends her eldest daughter, aged 8, for Mathematics and English tuition twice a
week.
Even though Lieu does not believe that primary
school children should be attending tuition classes, her daughter's struggle to
catch up with her classmates had forced the matter.
"In school, her class is so big that the
teachers don't have time to help the few who cannot follow the lessons.
"Some have even told the students, 'Ask
your tuition teacher' when the child says they can't understand."
Lieu said she had little time to teach her
daughter on her own as she was often busy with work and taking care of her
younger children.
"I wish that I did not have to send her
for tuition, but it is the only way she will be able to keep up.
"I think many parents feel the same way,
especially as schools have become more competitive."
School authorities and parent groups generally
agree that sending children under 10 years old for private tuition was
unnecessary.
Some, such as the National Collaborative
Parent-Teacher Associations of Malaysia president Associate Prof Datuk Dr Mohd
Ali Hasan, believe that sending pupils for tuition too early could even be
detrimental to their social development.
"Children should be allowed time to play
and learn at their own pace.
"Putting too much pressure on them to
succeed academically at an early age means that there will be less time for
them to learn to socialise or communicate effectively with others.
"Stress can also affect them
emotionally."
Ali said the most important part of early
education was learning the basic skills of reading, writing and counting, which
weaker students can master under the education ministry's learning and numeracy
(Linus) remedial programme.
He said tuition should be a measure of last
resort when the student is truly struggling with schoolwork.
"It is crucial that they learn to read
and count by Year Three.
"But apart from that, parents should just
let children be children."
Nevertheless, the Education Ministry believes
that there is little to stop parents from sending their children to tuition
outside school hours.
"Ultimately, it is the parents choice.
"I'm not saying it is healthy, but
parents just want the best for their children.
"If they believe tuition is the way to
go, then there is nothing to stop them," deputy education minister Dr Puad
Zarkashi said.
Puad, however, remained sceptical on whether
private tuition centres offered the best education for children.
"The best kind of tuition allows the
child to study one-on-one with the teacher.
"But most centres usually have several
students to one teacher. Some centres even crowd up to 40 students in one
class. So, I don't believe they make much of a difference."
New Straits Times
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