I guess you can’t really compare the two as it is like comparing apples with oranges. One is a government school while the other is government aided and private sector funded. As a result, the Chinese school facilities is much better than the Kebangsaan school one.
When shopping for schools, I visited a few, both Chinese as well as Kebangsaan school because I couldn’t make up my mind on which school to send my kid to. We had to list down 3 choices when registering our children for schools and most people would either have all 3 as Chinese Schools or all 3 as Kebangsaan School. I had a mix. Hahaha. That was how undecided I was. However the school my girl was eventually sent to was not in my 3 choices. lol.
Anyway, I visited many schools but some of them were more “memorable” than the others. For example, the Kebangsaan school nearest to my house (which I considered simply because of its proximity and convenience) was very small. It’s canteen doubled up as a hall if I am not mistaken. The canteen was very small and I didn’t see a field. When the bell rang and recess time (its good to visit during school hours to observe the actual situation), the kids ran out and some sat on the floor to have their meal.
I spoke to a Chinese teacher there and she looked at me and said “Why aren’t you sending your child to a Chinese school?” Imagine that, even the teacher there did not believe in the school she taught. So sad. I asked her about the school facilities and she simply said “Just look around you. We are very small.”
Another Kebangsaan school a little further from my home was better. They had a dedicated headmaster (Its important to speak to the heads of school when you visit). The school was clean and had reasonable facilities, a music room, a computer room a nice canteen with colorful chairs and benches almost like in a fast food restaurant, open air badminton courts, a big school field, an open air school hall. There were murals everwhere done by the school children, the garden was nice, the toilets were clean and new. I almost sent my kid there and in case Chinese school don’t turn out, I guess we will try this school out.
However, the Chinese School Facilities wins hands down, especially the newer ones (or rather the ones that I visited. It may perhaps be unfair to make this an overall and simplistic comparison because I do not have statistics nor did I visit that many schools? I probably visited 2 Kebangsaan schools and 5 Chinese Schools while school hunting) But of course you have to be prepared to pay in the form of donation (afterall you want your kid to use these facilities don’t you) and you have to pay higher school fees to maintain these facilities.
Classrooms are airconditioned. Every classroom has a projector. There is a big school hall with indoor badminton courts, an auditorium like the size of a cinema, a small music room, a small dance room, a computer room ( my girl’s class has 42 students and she says each kid has access to one computer and there were balance after that), a library, a big field, a basketball court, a medium sized canteen. Why, its almost like a private school accept you don’t pay so much. But the culture and medium of instruction is different of course. Facilities not so different from a private school (accept for the absence of a pool in the better ones) but if you can’t accept the culture and the way things are done in a Chinese school then its not for you. Besides, all the best facilities are useless if you are not going to use them.
How are the facilities in your child’s school? Care to share? Not comparing notes here but just for information’s sake, it’ll be good for everyone to know whats available.
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My girl school is very new, just in operation this Jan. So everything is brand new. But with limited fund, they only have 2 blocks of buildings. No air con, but each classrooms has a computer and projector. A big library as well as computer room. There’s still a very big piece of land for future development (which mean in years to come, we will have to fund for the expansion!)
At my girl’s school, the parents sigh in relief because there is no more land space for expansion so less calls for donation. Lol.
There is another way of looking at it. If a child is pampered with all this wonderful facility, do you think they can adapted if given poorer. Where else if a child is used to a poorer facility, they can adapt to both in the long run. Good and bad.
Another reason, why I send my child to Kebangsaan school is to have my child learn that nothing comes easy. They need to adapt to the given environment. Just my 2 sens.
I agree with you. That is why we would hold back allowing the child to attend private school until secondary level, if we can afford it, otherwise they would find it harder to adapt, like you say.
On the other hand, I believe that if my girl was to go to Kebangsaan school she would have no trouble adapting the way she is having trouble now. She can speak and understand Malay quite well. It is the Chinese school environment with its strict teachers and discipline that she has to adapt and adjust to now. It is the Chinese school environment which she has to learn that nothing comes easy, facilities aside.
I also believe that giving them better facilities is not spoiling them but rather allowing them more opportunities to try new things and realise some potential that they may have. It is how we bring them up that may spoil them. We must teach them to appreciate and be thankful for little things and not take things for granted. Thank you for having just reminded me to do so. 🙂
For 3 years we woke up around 7.45am to get the kids ready for nursery, then leisurely drives to work after dropping off the wifey at the LRT.
Now we get up at 6.15am and traffic at 7.00am is horrible horrible horrible, everyone rushing to sent their kids to school.
Chinese School Vs Kebangsaan School Facilities ?
Any school that is withing walking distance is fine with me!
There’s always the school bus… 😛 But walking distance or 5 minutes within the housing estate is the best of course. Instead, like you say, we wake up at 6.15am, hubby rushes to send the girl before he goes to work, then I spend an hour in the hot sun picking her up. Silly aren’t we?
I tot all schools are provided with projectors & computers. The projectors in my girl’s school has HAK MILIK KERAJAAN printed on it, so it should be from the government. I went to the school to see a teacher the other day, a teacher was in the class spending quite some time on the computer looked like trying to figure out something…I think by the time she solved her problem, it’s time to move to another class….hhahaa. IMHO, school with just basic facilities is not at all bad… angel in disguise.
Any way, I dunno if these “hi-tech” facilities benefited the students more or the “OTHERS”. There are a lot of issues maintaining these facilities in school…. Responsibilities & money issues.
We (the parents) have to pay for the electricity in my girl’s school since its not funded by governent.
wow… that sounds really like private school. i don’t think my daughter’s chinese school classrooms are airconditioned or has an auditorium. Must be long term heavily funded that is why they could enjoy such luxurious faicilites.
Could i ask how did you manage to speak or meet the head of the school before deciding? When is the best time to see them and what are the things i should ask?
I am just worried that they may take it personally if i don’t ask the right questions. Hope you will share it with me…thanks. MS
I met 3 (another one happened to be away, so I saw a teacher or else that makes it 4) heads of school and spoke to them. I saw them during registration as well as after I got the form informing we which school my girl was being sent to. I made an appointment with one over the phone whereas, I managed to see the others upon request while I was visiting the school checking it out. They were kind enough to see me on short notice. I simply went to the office and asked to see the head. I told them that I was interested to send my child to the school and I would like to find out more about the school so could I please see the head? I asked them about their std 1 intake, how many classes they had, how many to a class, whether there is streaming, their school facilities etc.
I even asked them what they think since we are banana, whether my kid will be able to adapt, my worries etc. 😛 2 of them spent quite a lot of time with me and were very kind to answer my questions, they spoke about their school and their plans for it, one of them even showed me a powerpoint presentation of his school, while another one of them answered my questions reluctantly and was not very happy about it. I guess it depends on the head in question. So just go ahead and ask whatever comes to mind but I guess you have to play by the ear and see what type of head (whether the open door policy type) you are dealing with.
Wow! air-conditioned classes. Now that’s a luxury. As for my boys, the school has a big hall double up as a badminton court. They also have computer room, library, bookshop, music room, big field, basketball court ( cemented) , a reasonably big canteen and several gazebos for mothers to ‘gossip’ …just kidding! All in all, facilities wise is okay except for the smelly toilets!!!
And because the classrooms has only fans, the children will get the seating every week. They move from left to right, front row to back row so everyone will get the opportunity to sit near the hot sun!!!
Gazebos for parents to gossip? Hahaha. We all wish!
if got a choice, I’d put my children in a chinese school. Sekolah Kebangsaan these days look and feel like they are there to brainwash our children to learn what they want the children to learn and what the children should learn.
Actually in a Chinese school, there is some degree of brainwashing too, kena brainwashed by its culture of fear and disipline. 😛
Hello, I wonder how did you manage to send your child to THE school that you want because I thought each school only allows people stay nearby (within a defined perimeter) to register themselves in that school and those staying outside of the perimeter will have to go to other school which nearer to them? It would be nice to know what was your method to get your child into the school that you want even if the address is outside of the school allowed perimeter.
I didn’t get my child into THE school that I wanted. I listed 3 (as we are allowed to list 3 in order of preference) when registering and my child was sent to another school not on the list and that school happened to be farther away from my house than any of the 3 that I listed. Strange isn’t it? lol. After we got the letter, I went to the school to check it out, found that it was reasonable and decided not to appeal. Anyway, I heard from the other parents that they used relatives addresses and utility bills as proof when they registered to THE school that they wanted. (You didn’t hear this from me. Haha.) Having an older sibling or cousin studying in the same school or having your child studying at the kindy of THE school also helps. Some parents have already identified THE school that they want from the time the child is very young and they plan ahead by sending the kid to the kindy of the school for 2-3 years. Not me though. I was undecided right up till the very last minute.
wow..how come u can list down 3 schools to choose? I thought the procedure was to go to the school u want and get it stamped, and give them the self add envelope. confused…
anyways, i think those days keb school has pretty good facilities too, i was fr a school where there is gym, co-op, huge canteen, even swimming club (but pool is next door, not in our school LOL).
Yes, the practise is the same. You go to the school of your choice to submit your registration but on the form, you can list down your second and third choices but I don’t think it makes any difference anyway since I didn’t get any of those I listed so whats the point of asking people their preference?
Hi MG,
thanks… ya…those are the typical questions i guess i will ask too just that didn’t think the head may oblige to meet all parents if they have similar questions… MS
Yes, I was plesantly surprised that they were so obliging. I guess theres never any harm trying and the worse case scenario is you get chased out of the school grounds. Hahaha.
wasn’t aware that schools evolved this much since I was there! 🙂 Am still undecided to go for SRJK or SRK… both seems to have its pros and cons. will still have a few more years to think (I hope)
“Few more years” passes by very very quickly, believe me. lol.
Thanks for the tips on checking out the schools.
That was really helpful. Now I have got to plan this “project after CNY and before my No.3 arrives.
Haha. Its a heavy project. Some people say, “what for so gancheong or what for choose so hard?” but I think that since my child is going to be spending hours of her days there for the next 6 years, it is justified.
you are really good in selecting schools for your kids, you even visited a few of them for your input, good job!
the schools where I registered my boy only has 2 choices!
Oh, I didn’t realise that the forms are different? I thought that they all used the same form from the government?
i inted to send my son to a chinese school. what cultures are u referring to? hope its nothing bad that i cant accept it!hehe
Culture of fear, overzealous or strict discipline and lotsa lotsa homework!
I’m very lucky. I happened to chose a good public school (but I didn’t know it at that time). When I saw other public schools and their dilapidated facilities…I really thanked my lucky stars.
Similiar to ur chinese school, they will only concentrate academics when in Std. 3. But for now, it’s all play play play.
Well, for now, its play play play too. Cos they haven’t got any books yet. We’ll see how the real situation is like after CNY. 🙂
May i know , which kebangsaan school u are visiting .
Thank You