Baby Dumping

Published: Tuesday August 13, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday August 13, 2013 MYT 8:42:05 AM
Monitor private 'schools'
OVER the weekend I was glad to have read the history behind Lebuh Bishop (The Star, Aug 10) – a wonderful occasion to go down memory lane.
To know that many early schools in Peninsular Malaysia started here on Penang Island makes me proud of Penangites and those individuals who saw through that the education system was established for the inhabitants of Penang.
As a young man, I came to know that Penang may be the state in Malaysia where good education institutions may have started.
I have heard of a good number of well established schools here. Education institutions such as Dalat and Uplands, and missions schools such as St Xavier’s Institution and the many Convent schools.
Mission schools in Malaysia are said to have start in the 1850’s, while schools like Dalat and Uplands started in 1929 and 1955 respectively.
I feel that these schools were well-known because of their good and established education pedagogy. Coming from a Catholic mission school myself, I can vouch that mission schools were once very well known for their co-curricular activities such as debating, orchestra, musicals and sports.
It was through this wholesome pedagogy that many Penangites lives were touched, shaped and transformed.
I am an educator myself, and my recent return to Penang brought to mind some worrying elements.
Along Tanjung Bungah Road I noticed sales banners put up by an international school. I remember seeing these banners in 2012 too, and was asking myself if this and many other international “schools” were selling a product to society, or were these “schools” in need of more students to meet their financial business requirements?
I did not see present in the banners a word or statement that reflected good education pedagogy. This trend of selling education to the public must be taken seriously before lives are hurt.
I am concerned for the many young families and young pupils of Penang.
Education is about opening minds to gain knowledge, wisdom and values.
Education must be about the individuals’ lives and must not be taken lightly.
Through my encounters with teachers in private international “schools” and from listening to teachers from government school concerning private “schools” and online reviews, there is something I worry about.
I have heard and experienced teachers being used as tools for private “schools”, teachers receiving unattractive wages, lessons not being delivered well and misunderstandings between parents and the administrations of these “schools”.
These are very worrying trends and I hope Penangites will start taking precautions before it’s too late.
These private “schools” must be monitored and concerns of parents addressed effectively.
Penang has many good established schools that can be used as a point of reference on how to maintain and improve the education quality.
Penang has the potential to remain and develop as an education hub for local as well as international students.

REV BRO KENNETH MARY GAN
Penang
http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2013/08/13/Monitor-private-schools.aspx