The recently heightened Bahasa Malaysia requirement for vernacular school students has made many parents consider an international school option.
Parents’ of students attending primary vernacular schools are in a conundrum. The recent announcement that these students must achieve a minimum score of TP4 to TP6 for Bahasa Malaysia language examination to proceed to Form 1 has caused much anxiety. This is because students who fail to get the required grade face the risk of spending a year in a ‘Remove Class’ or ‘Preparatory Class’ before being permitted to continue into secondary education.
“Like it or not, many parents feel it is a wasted year in the child’s academic journey just because they didn’t do well in one paper,” explains Katherine Claire Beadle, Principal of Imperial International School, Ipoh. “This is not to mention the stigma that many parents associate with ‘Remove Classes’, seeing them as a refuge for academically weak students.”
While it is certainly untrue that ‘Remove Classes’ are specifically for underperforming students, this new ruling requirement has certainly got many parents thinking about other available options for their children. Katherine confirms that Imperial has enrolled a good number of students from both SJKC and SJKT in the recent January 2022 Intake. Adding to that, the admissions team has been getting a lot more enquiries of late and it is a development which she welcomes.
“There are many reasons to choose Imperial, not least of offers the internationally-recognised Cambridge IGCSE syllabus which enables the students to complete their high school education earlier,” says Katherine. She also notes that many enquiring parents seem to like the fact that the Cambridge syllabus are still primarily an exam-based curriculum, mirroring the vernacular environment which places great emphasis on tests.
The big difference at Imperial is that students will be exposed to a personalised learning approach whereby the lessons are tailored to fit individual needs, strengths, and interests through a set target trail which will be reviewed every term.
According to Beadle, many enquiring parents were worried that their children would not be able to cope with a switch to a Full-English syllabus. Imperial provides plenty of language support to ensure the children are able to comfortably adapt to their new environment.
“You will be surprised how quickly children pick up a new language when they are immersed in an English-speaking environment,” she says. “We assure parents that every effort is made to ensure each student is happy, comfortable and enthusiastic at Imperial.”
Primary students from vernacular schools who enrol now at Imperial will not be wasting one year in the ‘Remove Class’. They can start working towards earning an internationally-recognised qualification and strengthen their grasp of the English language. “The earlier they do this, the better. “They will certainly be more confident speaking and writing in English if they start their journey at Imperial at an earlier age,” counsels Beadle.
Find out more about Imperial International School, Ipoh and its personalised learning approach here: bit.ly/0176044968, or visit imperial.edu.my.
Parents taking the initiative to secure their child’s future at the
Imperial International School, Ipoh.