20

“Wah, what is this? A park?” My cousin asked while we passed by what looked like one, while in the car, on the way to lunch one Saturday afternoon.

As we looked closer through the car window, however, I realised it was an international school that was built not too long ago. To which I replied: Eh? It’s an international school! This is huge!

For starters, this school is the first to be established in the area, which is easily accessible from my neighbourhood. A few minutes after I came home, I took to the Internet to find out more about that school.

As I then chose to look at the subject of international schools in Malaysia, I was baffled yet awestruck by the variety of syllabi offered at different schools. Every school seemed to have their own way of promoting themselves to prospective students and guardians alike. As I was a product of other types of schools, I figured that the best way to learn about international schools in Malaysia was to connect with those who have experienced it first-hand. Fortunately, there were a couple of former students who were quite excited to share with me their stories.

For Melissa Norris, she chose to study at an international school after realising that she found it challenging to stay on in the private school she was in that offered the local Malaysian syllabus. According to her, she studied at the private school for four years. Given her proficiency in the national language, as well as how the teaching and learning styles did not allow her to fully utilise her strengths, she was then moved to a school that offered the UK EdExcel Ordinary Level curriculum that worked to her advantage. She was given the necessary one-to-one attention, as teachers were more approachable and helpful. Class sizes were kept to no more than 20. Additionally, emphasis on analysis-based exercises and critical thinking helped her understand class materials and enhanced her study experience. She said the most valuable takeaway from her experience was to learn how to approach situations from a worldly perspective. Asked if she managed to pick up any foreign languages, she said she didn’t. However, she ended up doing Bahasa Malaysia as a second language as it was compulsory for all Malaysian passport holders or those who were Malaysian-born, who she was. When I wanted to find out about the entry requirements to an international school, she said “There was an assessment that helped to solidify my placement.” Eventually describing herself as “not quite Malaysian, not quite Australian”, she acknowledged she found it quite straightforward to secure her spot in the school. When asked about her general outlook after having attended an international school, she said that she found it enriching to have classmates of different cultures and backgrounds. Norris explained, “I think I value diversity, am able to adapt to situations which call for intercultural understanding, and have a deeper appreciation for everyone.” Currently attached to the company that is behind the development and execution of an improved transport network, slated to further bridge the gap between Singapore and Malaysia, she lamented about the distance to school as well as how much her parents had to fork out. Otherwise, for the corporate communications executive, she truly enjoyed and is grateful for the experience for it has 1) inspired her to always be the best version of herself, 2) made it easier for her to ‘think on her feet’, and 3) enabled her to foster better professional and personal relationships.

Roughly in the same boat as Norris, is Lau Mun Yee. Lau switched to studying at an international school after experiencing challenges in the homeschool system. “My parents wanted to accelerate my learning.” Nevertheless, after about six years, she found it quite impossible to self-study anymore. She revealed that the home-schooling system works best when there is at least one parent around to monitor his or her child’s progress. As both her parents are working, the situation was no longer viable for both Lau and her parents. After much research and consideration, they came to the realisation that international school served as a pathway towards the even more crucial step in life – tertiary education. At the point, the-then Malaysian government began to gradually allow children like Lau into international schools. According to Lau, to determine a child’s grade level, those seeking a place will have to sit for a general competencies exam. She adds “If English is not your first language, you’ll be enrolled in an ESL (English as a Second Language) course”. Similar to Norris, Lau also completed a module of Bahasa Malaysia, as per requirement of the Ministry of Education. From what I gathered, she initially experienced culture shock. However, everything turned out fine, after some time. For this, she credits both her rather extroverted nature as well as how everyone, despite differences in culture and socio-economic status, came together to form a close-knit community. Lau, who followed the Canadian syllabus, somewhat echoed the perspective of Norris with regards to class size. As she puts it “The class size was a plus point, as this provided me with opportunities to banter, discuss, and ask for help without feeling awkward.” Furthermore, Lau stated that “as students, we were highly encouraged to demonstrate leadership skills, lead a team or project, as well as take ownership of our work.” Additionally, emphasis was placed on after-school activities. For Lau, this included sports, drama, and dance. She stated, “I was usually the team leader for both drama and dance performances.” Given such exposure, it is now much easier for Lau to speak in front of a crowd, pursue goals and lead a team with confidence. It is no wonder Lau can now oversee a team of 15 in her line of work that involves the creation of digital content on a platform, mainly targeted at those between the ages of 18 and 34. Somehow, despite all the great things she has gained from her international school experience, she said “Sometimes I wish I had the public school exposure… a well-established school would have been nice.” Finding some common ground with Norris, she added, “I can imagine myself going to one, gaining all these skills at a much more affordable rate.”