Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Education in the country

A friend of mine, AB has left a message on my message box a few days ago. I'm still wondering actually how she got to know about my blog since I haven't in contact with her since I finished my study in the States.


Oh well, she's coming to KSA (Kingdom of S@udi Ar@bia) too! Let's have a Malaysian community in KSA, AB!! Though she'll be going to Y@nbu, which is about 2 hours of flight from my place, we'll be in the same country. Insyaallah, we could meet one day.


AB has requested me to post about children education in KSA. No doubt, that is among the most popular questions being asked whenever somebody make a decision to come to KSA. AB, I'm not the best person to write about this but I'll try to explain things according to my experience. Anyway, my coverage would only be in Al Jubail. I believe, it'll be the same throughout the country. Hopefully!


In here, there are many international schools. There are many and it ranges from the cheapest (somewhat like SR8,000/year) to the most expensive (like RM58,000/year). Do not worry so much if you're offered a family package since the Company would cover the children education. However, you need to note 1 thing, how much is the coverage. Some companies limit the child education to a certain amount. So, you need to choose those schools which are within the coverage. Some companies just pay all expenses without asking much!


As for me, when I first arrived in Al Jubail, we (my husband and I) have decided to send our kids to the newest school in town and it happened to be it is the closest from our house. The reason being, to let our kids adjust themselves with the language and foreign environment. Since the school is new, there are not so many students in each class. So, the teacher would be able to spend more time with each student. The fees wasn't that high too. It was only SR10,000/year which is paid by my husband's company.


But and a really big BUT... Since most of the teachers in the schools are Ind1ans and Ph1lippino, the English was somewhat not a real English accent. Another thing is, since the school was so new, it tries to portray a good impression to the ministry of education. They want to make sure the kids progress well (extraordinary well - like no C's at all). Who suffers? The kids who are adjusting themselves like mine!


My 2nd child is only 6 years old (entering kindergarten stage). But, the teacher has pushed her and kept telling us (the parents) that my child is not performing. We've met with the administrators and asked them to let my child to adjust herself with the environment. But, they kept telling us that she needs to study really hard (sounds like she's taking PMR in M@laysia to me). They asked us to teach her at home. She can't take it lightly. Oh dear! there goes my child joyful childhood moment... Pretty hard for us actually but finally she managed herself. She has adjusted herself, of course with the help of a few tutors.


So, for this coming session, we have decided to move our kids to a different school - the one with teachers who are coming from the English spoken countries. Insyaallah...


There are arabic schools in here too. Of course, the government schools are Arabic but foreigners are not allowed to enter those schools. There are private arabic schools that the kids can enter. It's good if the kids are about to enter their preschool (3@4 years of age). But, it'll be disadvantage to the kids if they're much older since everything is taught in arabic. The students there, may come from various arab countries like U@E, Om@n, Syr1a, 3gypt, Kuwa1t or others. They would speak arabic. The teachers would speak arabic. Our kids may learn but they need to put lots of effort. Unless, the parents can speak arabic, that would be a different case.


I have a friend who stays in M@dinah. She's an Indones1an married to a S@udi guy. Her husband is a lecturer in Ta1bah University in M@dinah. They have 4 kids and the eldest will be entering grade 7 this fall. They told me, the education in S@udi is among the worse. The style of education is like parrot teaching. Kids are taught to memorize things without having to undertand the concept. I kind of agree with them after looking at my kids syllabus and performance. During this summer vacation, they're going to M@laysia (yes, our beloved country) to look for a good school for their kids. According to the husband, M@laysia's education is among the best in the world. By the way, the husband has been travelling to so many countries inclusive M@laysia, Indonesi@ and Un1ted St@tes before. So, he has learned the education level in those countries.


To me, I don't want to be far from my kids. It is okay to let them study in S@udi at the moment. I kind of close one eyes since my kids are still small. If they're getting to the higher level, perhaps I will be thinking differently :)

16 sugar & spice:

Ummi365 said...

heee.. dah lama sungguh tak blog hop.. wah macak2 nampak.. hmm nampak sedap. tak pelah makan daging puas2 nanti tak dapat makan mengidam pulakkan!

Adry said...

mmm... teruk jugak education kat Saudi ek.. especially when akak said "The style of education is like parrot teaching. Kids are taught to memorize things without having to understand the concept" huhu...

anyway proud of our country..

Mior Azhar said...

Hi,
And I thought that the Malaysian education system sucks... but then again since when can we expect perfect system right?
Anyway,I must say (based on experience ler ni) that our Malaysian system were rather good (my time dulu) but I really can't say the same now .. sometimes I think those who are responsible for the syllabus are either sadistic or confused that seven years old mind does not work at the same wavelength as the Form 3 students.

Neeza Shahril said...

Kak Ummi,

ni sebab mengidam la ni.. heheh..

===================================

Adry,

betul tu.. kesian kat budak2.. diorang hafal aje..
bila tanya diorang bukan tahu apa yang dihafal pun..

===================================

Pak Mior,

We thought so kan.. mungkin boleh improve lah kot..
tapi kat sini much worse.. kesian the kids here..
tapi kat University very specialized kat sini..

:: Leeza Joe :: said...

hujan emas negeri orang...
hujan batu negeri sendiri...

semoga joe cpt2 kumpul duit 1 juta dan kami blh cow blk msia utk sekolah andrean...ermmm brp thn lg erk...haa...lbh krg 3 thn lg la...hihihi

zino said...

aduh panjang nya.. letak cop je lah dulu hehe

aNIe said...

Neeza...ramai yang kata education kat malaysia lebih baik ...ntahlah...sebab tak pernah duduk luar negara pun...hehehe

Yang paling kesian ialah pada anak2 yang ibu bapa mereka terpaksa berpindah2 tmpt kerja...kejap kesana...kejap ke sini...pasti sukar bagi mereka nak menyesuaikan diri...sebab lain negara lain system pembelajaran mereka...

YuszTieY said...

ermmm..memang ler kalau bagi ore sistem pelajaran kat mesia ok kalau nak bandingkan dgn sistem kat mesir ni..kertas soklan pon masih tulis tgn lagi..tapi ader gak yg guna kom.

sian kan kat anak2 kalau tak fhm bahasa cam ayam cakap dgn itik..tapi ok lah kalu dlm kelas tu ader lagi budak melayu..kalau anak ore nak masuk kelas kat mansurah ni tobat dgn mak n ayah pon kena angkut sekali...tak ader org melayu yg anak besar kat mansurah ni selain kakak laiyin...huhuu
pjng ler plok komen..hihihiii

Jie said...

Baguslah Neeza, selalu kakjie baca banyak info yg neeza bagi utk kami.

Di M'sia pun mcm tu juga neeza, cikgu perlu kejar target yg ditetapkan oleh PPD, anak murid pun bertungkus lumus ( dgn cikgu2 sekali kena buat kelas tambahan )

Ada juga ibubapa, UPSR thn 6, anak thn 3 pun dah hantar pergi tusyen. Kesian tau... ini terjadi dgn anak saudara kakjie sendiri...mak bapa nak kejar perpect sampai abaikan zaman riang ria yg sepatutnya anak itu nikmati.

Neeza Shahril said...

Leeza,

walaupun hujan batu, negeri sendiri tetap best kannnn...

===================================

Zino,

cop jangan tak cop heheh...

===================================

Kak Jie,

1 benda yang neeza perasan, kalau subject Geografi, kita belajar 1 dunia kan..
kalau di US, tak pun..
di saudi ni pulak tak pasti.. tapi yang neeza tengok, social science pun diorang belajar pakistan je.. apa ke benda entah..

===================================

Tiey,

adula Tiey.. cikgu hok skoloh anok Kak Ja ni, tulis English pung saloh..
dok nok ajar anok murid lagu mano??

===================================

Kak Jie,

at least kat Malaysia, periksa besar2 je diorang stress..
ini budak tadika pun kena belajar macam budak nak PMR.. kesian sungguh...

silversarina said...

salam,

memang kena bagi tuition lah pada anak2 kalu macam tu, kesianlah pulak kecik lagi dah kena pressure perform the best .

semoga anak2 neeza dapat belajar dengan baiknya.

Abang Long said...

Sekadar bertanya, adakah sekolah antarabangsa disana ?

maklang said...

salam:

kat mesia ni pening pulak bila anak2 nak masuk uni...kena tanggung seme sendiri kalau tak dapat biasiswa..mana ada kompeni nak tanggung!

pB said...

salam adik Ja


di mesia ni terlajok exam oriented la pulok.
Result nok tip top.
Silibus , masyaallah ...
Anok hok ngaki darjoh 6 tu supo nok ambik SRP taim kito dulu dulu.

Payoh ...
Siae ko budok budok lonni.
Kelik skoloh , merap dhumoh.
Keno siap krijo ghumoh.
Pah tu , keno g tushen .
Kalu tok g , sibuk cikgu tok tanyo pulok.

Kak pB paling beci kelih muko hishamuding tu.
Kalu tubek jah dalae berito ko rencano , mesti , taig taing tu jugok kak pB tukar che'nal ...

Hu hu huuuuuu

Cat Cat said...

Neeza,
I personally think the teacher was a little over-react forcing the kindergarten to learn harder... They are only kindergarten and shouldn't be forced to study too hard.

Annabel's school was pretty good... They constantly have projects and programs for the kids to do...

Neeza Shahril said...

Kak Rina,

tak pernah neeza terfikir nak hantar tution pada budak tadika.. tapi, kat sini, terpaksa pulak..

thanks Kak Rina..

===================================

Abang long,

memang diorang di sekolah antarabangsa pun...

===================================

Maklang,

kebetulan kami dapat family package..
kalau tidak tak jugak kot..

===================================

Kak pb,

hehhe.. dengar2.. menteri hok tu tuh.. bukae panda mano pong..
anok2 dio pun ggitu jugok..
tapi sebak ado pitih.. seghemo buleh jadi...

ggitu lah nasib kito hok bbowoh ni dih, kak pb...

===================================

Cath,

I did think so too..
pity those kids..
To me, they should learn while having fun and not struggling real hard... pity them..