Pros and Cons Of Home School, Private or International Schools And Home Schooling Centres

Gone are the days when you only had to decide between vernacular schools and national schools, these days parents in Malaysia have to decide between public schools, private schools international schools plus you also have the option of doing home schooling yourself or through home school centres.

This post which explores the pros and cons of home school, private or international schools and home school centres was contributed by Kensington Academy Malaysia. Kensington offers Cambridge IGCSE from Primary to Secondary, Years 1 through 11.

The charts below take an objective look at the pros and cons of each type of school to help parents make informed decisions when making educational choices for their children. Before looking at the charts, let's take a brief look at the definition of home school.

What Is Home-Schooling?

Home schooling is a way of delivering formal education through an informal way. Home schoolers generally learn at the comfort of their home where in many instances, parents (and hired home tutors) take charge of their kids learning.

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PROS AND CONS OF HOME SCHOOL

     PROS                                                                                         CONS

• One-to-one teaching gives learners a superior learning experience 
• Teaching style and pace can be tailored flexibly to suit learners' needs
• Learners will have more time to spare for non-academic activities such as sports or the pursuit of additional skills and talents
• Learners are much more independent as they progress into college/university years as they are already used to studying independently and managing their own schedules
• Very cost effective

• Time consuming, challenging for parents who are on day time job
• Although it does not cost as much compared to schools, it can cause financial stress if it prevents the parent(s) from working or having a day time job to cover expenses.
• The pace of learning may not be equal compared with their peers of similar age
• Requires a lot of self-organisation from parents to come out with a structured teaching plan and teaching activities                         

       

PROS AND CONS OF PRIVATE OR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

     PROS                                                                                          CONS

• Well-equipped campus facilities and abundant in resources for learners
• Although this is highly dependent on the school, international/private schools are often more prestigious
• The ratio of teacher to learners are generally low for better attention on learners
• A very structured environment and curriculum (and up to date) to meet the specific examination board’s requirement
• Classroom interaction can enhance learners’ social skills

• The cost of private school education is very high
• Less flexibility as these schools placed great emphasis on policies and procedures
• Usually no special need classes available, for learners require more attention
• Learners must pass an entrance exam to be admitted
• Classes are taught at a mid-learning level, which may cause advanced learners to become bored                        

       

PROS AND CONS OF HOME SCHOOL CENTRES

     PROS                                                                                          CONS

• Low teacher to learners ratio
• Much more affordable compared with private/ international schools as fees are usually lower
• Learners will eventually graduate with the same qualification as their peers in private schools
  

• May not have a proper setup or learning environment
• Lack of resources
• Less diverse choices in subjects
• Many are religious based schools/centres which may prevent cultural diversity          

       

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