In the past, homeschooling simply meant tutoring your own kids at home by yourself, or hiring one or more private tutors to come over and do the job for you.
This often limits your kids as they’re only impacted based on your own limited knowledge or that of the private tutor. Even today, this is still the widely known meaning and practice of homeschooling but I’ll shock you; homeschooling in Malaysia goes way beyond this!
Most people have wrong notions as to what a homeschool Malaysia entails, and the purpose of this blog post is to clear the air on this.
Here are 7 misconceptions about Homeschooling in Malaysia:
1. Homeschool Malaysia is done at home
This is so not true. Although this is the normal practice among other countries of the world, it is not so in Malaysia. Homeschooling in Malaysia — such as the home school in Selangor — carry out their academic activities in a spacious building or rented office units.
In a homeschool Malaysia, the kids are taught normal school subjects in a designated place by well learned teachers, while giving each child optimum attention. This is because there are less number of children been handled by a tutor, as compared to what you find in public schools.
For instance, the ratio of teacher to student in a homeschool in Selangor is often 1:15, which is a better ratio than the 1:30 you find in public schools.
2. Homeschools in Malaysia have their own syllabus and therefore the students are not recognized academically.
This is also not true. Homeschool Malaysia (such as the home school in Selangor) follow the same IGCSE syllabus as many private schools in Malaysia.
For this reason, homeschooling in Malaysia is often referred to as IGCSE homeschooling. This syllabus prepares the students for the IGCSE exams and the certificate is acceptable worldwide.
3. Homeschool Malaysia do not engage in extra-curricular activities such as physical education.
This is another misconception people have towards homeschooling in Malaysia. Most home schools in Selangor have parks or swimming clubs close to their buildings where they go for extra curricular activities at least once a week.
4. Expensive and unaffordable
Not really. All IGCSE approved curriculum will be presented to your child in a sparsely populated class, giving the teacher enough time and energy to attend to your child in the best possible way.
IGCE homeschooling is actually not so expensive as compared to the quality of education it offers. In fact there are home schools in Selangor that offers high quality education at an affordable price.
5. Homeschool Malaysia is for abnormal kids
This is just another misconception among the lot. Homeschools in Malaysia do not in any way benefit only slow learning or abnormal children.
In fact, homeschool Malaysia which I have said handles IGCSE curriculum like every other normal private schools, highly benefits smart kids.
Due to its flexibility and shorter academic years, smart homeschool students can finish their O Level faster than other public school students.
6. Homeschool students must take about 10 subjects in the secondary examinations.
This is just as wrong as others. Whereas this is the case with normal public schools, IGCSE homeschooling students usually take 5 subjects (or more if preferred by the student), and this helps them to be more focused.
7. Homeschool teachers are unqualified.
Wrong yet again! As a matter of fact, having a teaching diploma is a criteria for employment in a homeschool Malaysia, for example the homeschool in Selangor. This is so that the teachers will be competent enough to impart massively to the students.
Takeaway
A lot of parents are now enrolling their kids into homeschools because of the high quality education, flexibility and focus it provides the child with.
Are you one of the many who have wrong notions about homeschooling in Malaysia? Talk to our friendly and professional staff to find out more. Please feel free to get in touch with us.
