Boarding School

Is Boarding School Right for Your Child? Going to boarding school is not an easy decision, you may need to adapt with new environment. Some of the pupils cannot stand by the physical separation among their family and close friends for too long. Financially cost are maybe consider but is it worth? To board or not to board your child in a boarding school is an option and here are some of the pros and cons. As we are living in a community, we often heard that parents are discussing the issue of sending their child to boarding school rather than sending them to public secondary school. Parents believe that boarding education geared towards good academy performance. This is because, the boarding authority manage to prepare a strategic learning plan and schedule for students. Instead of being passive in class, students are most likely to be participating in everything they do and ideas are easily shared. By experienced from my writing partner Noor Syuhadah, in her days in boarding school, she have no problem sharing her taughts and ideas in class. Most of her classmates are not judging what her vision was like. Instead, they ask questions and make the class fun and interactive. Moreover, there are times for prep session. Students commonly practice study group, they are discuss among others about their studies and problems. By doing so, students can possibly gain good result in their studies because in their daily basis, everything has been planned accordingly. “Despite the good showing, MARA and MRSM’s focus is not merely on academic achievement but also to create a holistic human capital, who appreciate noble values and have remarkable personal strengths,” BERNAMA (2011). Secondly, in the residential campus environment in which students live. They are actually pre-adapting the University life. Students are socializing in between one another within an area. If can actually provides an opportunity for the students to add contact and build relationship that last on a lifetime. According to The Association of Boarding School (2009), graduates agree that they were equally prepared for the non-academic aspects of college life. Moreover, while they are making friends, they began to gain trust and honesty between them. As they share loving memories, they also share the joy and sorrow together and try to apply a love and mutual respect for one another. Students also able to gain new experience, can learn how to live independently without any parental guidance and how to make decisions. Living away from home cultivates the students of self-discipline. It is quite similar on what happen in University. In the campus, negative aspects and problems may occur. It is what makes the student matures thus, enhance personal responsibilities inside of them. To send your child in a boarding school may be a good start for them to nature in good qualities inside of them. But most of the students will be far backwards on knowing about the issue happens around them. They are not aware of things that going on in the outside world because of the limited facilities. They maybe too depending on television and newspaper to seek in general knowledge and recent news. This what happen to our local boarding school, they do not update the computers and students are not using the latest technology and software provided for them to use. Moreover, computer and software materials are unlikely to be used in the daily education system whereas those materials actually attract students to concentrate more in learning session. Instead of settle it all down on the boring white board. Next is that, some of the boarding school in Malaysia do not allow their students to bring cell phones and other gadgets as well. Students are not allowed to make calls, texting and they don’t have the chance to use smartphones. Same goes to PSP or Nintendo. They cannot leasure their past time by playing games or online wherever they need. Too bad for those facebook and instant messanger junkie. “Ok, this is the toughie. I’m a mobile phone addict and I have to survive without texting or chatting to my friends for 24 hours. Within minutes of leaving the house my fingers are twitchy,” Damien Fletcher (2009). We often heard of bully cases occurred in the boarding school. This worries parents the most whether to send their children to boarding school. “Five Fifth Formers of the Royal Military College (RMC) have been arrested over the death of a student,” Adrian David (2010). Bully victims can either get physically or mentally abused by their senior and it can lower the self-esteem. “Most bullied victims have lower self-esteem compared to 1% for normal,” (Dealing with Bullies.org, 2010). Most of the students who get bullied are often abandon by other students. They like to be isolated. Next is that, they usually felt depress and scared to make friends despite of being bullied all the time. There is often no end to bullying victims, destructive effects of bullying can actually kills someone mind and it may last their whole life. According to Dealing with Bullies.org, (2010) , higher absenteeism levels are occurred to the bullies victims than a normal one. It may limits the education and working productivity of the bullied victims. In the future, thus, friends and family are encourage to continuously support them. In conclusion, to send your child in a boarding school is an option, a decision which all parents should really go through on the pros and cons by comparing them before sending your child in. Will your child be a better person if you send them in? Your child may be excelled in their study with flying colours but will they comport in a proper manner?