Parents: Why Singapore when our schools are good enough

JOHOR BARU: Parents here feel that there is no need to pay a bomb to send their kids to study in Singapore because the Malaysian education system has produced many talents who are making their mark on the world stage.

The Star spoke to these parents who expressed confidence in the country’s education system.

“I find that many Malaysians speak good English and conduct themselves well, so it does not mean that our children will only learn good English if they study in Singapore,” said businessman Fazli Rusli, 35.

He said the nation has also produced countless talents who have made the country proud through their achievements locally and internationally.

He plans to send his two sons, aged five and three, to national schools so that they can grow up with peers of all races and learn about Malaysia’s diverse cultures.

Fazli was commenting on The Star’s front page story on Thursday about how students travelling in the wee hours daily to study in Singapore will soon be a thing of the past now that sufficient international schools have been set up in Johor to cater for the demand.

It was also reported that the Singapore Ministry of Education has announced that the monthly school fees for foreigners and permanent residents there would increase for the 2018-2020 period.

The revised fees, some nearly doubled the current amount, will take effect in January.

Financial adviser Ng Ting Yao, 30, and his wife both spent 11 years studying in primary and secondary schools in Singapore, yet they do not feel the need to send their daughter across the border to study.

Ng said the currency exchange was much higher now compared to when he was a student, a reason why he did not plan to send his daughter, aged two, to study there.

“My wife and I have experienced the hardships of commuting to and fro daily and we do not intend to let our daughter suffer that,” he said.

R. Bryan, 20, a former student who commuted daily for 10 years to complete his education in Singapore, said he valued his experience although a lot of sacrifices had to be made.

He said, he got used to the routine of sleeping only four hours each night, waking at 4am daily to make the two-hour journey across the Causeway to get to school.

“My school bus used to leave at 5am to beat the rush of people heading into Singapore for work.

“I used the journey to catch up on my sleep, waking up only to walk through the Immigration checkpoints,” he said.