Public Schools vs. Private Schools: Which is Right For Your Child?

This hot debate may not be ending anytime soon. When children reach the school-going age,

parents are usually torn between the types of schools that their children should attend. This is unlike in the past where most parents chose convenience over anything else. They used to take their children to the nearest school. Nowadays, the quality of education matters and that's why a good percentage of parents in Singapore are thinking about switching their children either from

private to public schools and vice versa.

Today's world is so dynamic, and when it comes to choosing schools, parents look beyond convenience. Some of the key areas that they focus on include quality, curriculum, accountability and teachers’ training. With these and many other factors, the difference between a private kindergarten and a public school in Singapore is not that big as it used to be. However, you still need to do some soul-searching and research before you decide on a school for your child. To help you with the comparison, here are some main advantages of both public and private schools. By comparing them, it will be much easier to make a final decision on the type of school that your child should go to.

Advantages of Public Schools

1. Have more qualified teachers

Since public schools are directly controlled by the government, they tend to employ more qualified teachers as compared to those working in private schools. There is also a likelihood of these teachers being more experienced in the job. It is common to find a teacher who has a degree or even masters teaching in a public school. Keep in mind that public schools

don’t carry the burden of paying highly trained and experienced teachers. They are paid by the government. They are likely to stick to public schools due to the perks that they get.

2. Public schools focus on core subjects

Students in public schools spend more time studying core subjects. Since they are controlled by external forces, these schools do not deviate to other subjects but instead stick to teaching the main subjects which are English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

3. Diverse student population

Due to its affordability, public schools attract a large number of students from different backgrounds. This is unlike private schools which are quite expensive. Public schools give your child a perfect opportunity to interact with other people and learn more about them.

Advantages of private schools

1. Small classes

It is a fact that any private kindergarten has small classes. The number of students per classroom can be half of that in public school. This automatically means that the student to teacher ratio is small. This allows a teacher to give each child more attention and encourages dissemination of high-quality and student-oriented education.

2. Flexible curriculum

Private schools are flexible when it comes to choosing a curriculum that students use.

They do not have to wait for approval from other bodies. In most cases, their curriculums focus on overall development of a person, both academically and intellectually. Some private kindergarten schools offer programs that meet international standards or prepare students for a global environment.

3. Strong parent involvement

Private schools encourage parents to be heavily involved in the affairs of their children. As a parent, you will always be communicating with teachers and communicate matters relating to the performance and progress of your child.

Verdict

Choosing your child's school is one of the biggest decisions that you will make. There should be no room to make any mistakes. A good school guarantees your child high-quality education and will leave a positive impact towards your child's development process. Before you choose a school, first understand personal needs of your child then analyze whether the school will meet them.

Derek Tan writes articles relating to education. Please visit Canadian International School for more information.

Derek Tan writes articles relating to education. Please visit Canadian International School for more information.