Weigh impact before sending your child to boarding school
Sending a child to a residential school is a noteworthy decision with potential benefits and downsides.
Residential schools, no doubt, can nurture independence, provide a structured and conducive academic environment, and offer a sense of community.
However, they can also be a source of emotional strain for both the child and the family, and residential schools may not be the right fit for every child.
Parents should not shirk their responsibilities. Some may feel relieved when their child is selected to study in a residential school — be it conventional or religious.
They may have the perception that their responsibility for the child's welfare ends there, and that it is now the school authorities' obligation to care for the child.
But parents should be aware that separation from family can be emotionally challenging for a child, possibly leading to feelings of homesickness, anxiety, dejection, and even isolation.
They will have less direct involvement in their child's daily life, character building, and academic progress compared to day schools.
Parents also have to bear in mind that while residential schools strive to create a safe environment, instances of bullying – though not the norm – or other social issues can still occur.
This is a universal phenomenon in schools and not unique to this country.
When an unpleasant incident happens to a child, school authorities should not be solely blamed. Parents, too, must take responsibility.
Some children – coming from various backgrounds – may not thrive in a residential school environment, particularly those who are highly sensitive, mentally vulnerable, have special needs, or are not ready for the level of independence required.
Before making a decision, parents must consider the child's readiness for a residential school, taking into account their personality, maturity level, and ability to adapt to a new environment.
A child's excellent academic performance should not be the sole criterion.
Parents need to gain a better understanding of the school's culture and environment, and whether the child can emotionally adapt to the new setup.
There must be open and continuous communication with the child before, during, and after the transition to residential school.
As for any school authority, handling hundreds of students with varied personalities and backgrounds is not an easy task.
Ultimately, however, the choice of whether or not to send a child to a residential school is a personal one, and parents should carefully weigh the potential benefits and downsides based on their individual circumstances and their child's needs.
Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Weigh impact before sending your child to boarding school
From Moaz Nair Sending a child to a residential school is a noteworthy decision with potential benefits and downsides. Residential schools, no doubt, can nurture independence, provide a structured and conducive academic environment, and offer a sense of community. However, they can also be a source of emotional strain for both the child and the family, and residential schools may not be the right fit for every child. Parents should not shirk their responsibilities. Some may feel relieved when their child is selected to study in a residential school — be it conventional or religious. They may have the perception that their responsibility for the child's welfare ends there, and that it is now the school authorities' obligation to care for the child. But parents should be aware that separation from family can be emotionally challenging for a child, possibly leading to feelings of homesickness, anxiety, dejection, and even isolation. They will have less direct involvement in their child's daily life, character building, and academic progress compared to day schools. Parents also have to bear in mind that while residential schools strive to create a safe environment, instances of bullying – though not the norm – or other social issues can still occur. This is a universal phenomenon in schools and not unique to this country. When an unpleasant incident happens to a child, school authorities should not be solely blamed. Parents, too, must take responsibility. Some children – coming from various backgrounds – may not thrive in a residential school environment, particularly those who are highly sensitive, mentally vulnerable, have special needs, or are not ready for the level of independence required. Before making a decision, parents must consider the child's readiness for a residential school, taking into account their personality, maturity level, and ability to adapt to a new environment. A child's excellent academic performance should not be the sole criterion. Parents need to gain a better understanding of the school's culture and environment, and whether the child can emotionally adapt to the new setup. There must be open and continuous communication with the child before, during, and after the transition to residential school. As for any school authority, handling hundreds of students with varied personalities and backgrounds is not an easy task. Ultimately, however, the choice of whether or not to send a child to a residential school is a personal one, and parents should carefully weigh the potential benefits and downsides based on their individual circumstances and their child's needs. Moaz Nair is an FMT reader. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Malay Mail
Meet Josephine Amalanathan: Merdeka witness, headmistress extraordinaire
PORT KLANG, Aug 15 — For many Malaysians, the declaration of independence at Stadium Merdeka on August 31, 1957, is a moment learned through history books, old radio clips, black-and-white documentaries, or family stories passed down over generations. But for Mary Josephine Amalanathan, now 89, that bright Saturday morning lives vividly in her memory, a day she will always cherish. 'I was there at Merdeka Stadium on Aug 31 to witness the historic moment of the Union Jack being lowered and (first Prime Minister) Tunku Abdul Rahman proudly raising the Jalur Gemilang and declaring our nation's independence,' she said. The grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of one recalls standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Malaysians, filled with hope and pride, as they watched a new nation being born. 'I saw the Tunku, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Tun VT Sambanthan – our founding fathers – up close. The first Yang di-Pertuan Agong was there too. It was unforgettable.' She added that when the Tunku cried out the iconic 'Merdeka', the atmosphere was exhilarating. 'I still feel the excitement of that moment. It was unity, it was joy, it was freedom,' she recalled in an interview with Bernama at her home here. But Josephine is not just an eyewitness to history. This former headmistress also helped shape it — in classrooms filled with young pupils with big dreams. A trailblazer in education Her journey as an educator began in 1955 as a trainee teacher at the Convent School in Kajang, Selangor (now known as SK Convent Kajang). Josephine had just passed her Senior Cambridge (a British examination equivalent to today's SPM), and, 'So, straight to work it was for me.' Due to the lack of formal teachers' training institutes back then, Josephine attended a training course for 'normal class teachers' at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur every Saturday. This way, she managed to equip herself with the skills needed for a job she took to heart. She then went on to teach at Marian Convent in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, and the Convent School in Klang, Selangor. In 1961, when she was just 25, Josephine was appointed the first headmistress of SK St Anne's Convent in Port Klang, Selangor, and was confirmed in her post after four years, a rare honour and likely making her the youngest to hold such a position at the time. 'The nuns chose me,' she said humbly. From just 60 pupils in its early days, mostly from modest households in Port Klang and Pandamaran, Josephine, together with a team of dedicated teachers, helped build St Anne's into a thriving institution of over 600 students by the time she left in 1987 to join SRK Methodist Girls School in Klang (MGS Klang) as its headmistress, where she had more than 1,600 students under her administration. 'There were no VIP children or doctors' kids at St Anne's. Many parents could not even afford the RM2.50 monthly school fees,' she said. 'But we found a way, convincing the school board to exempt them. Education has to be for everyone.' Strict but caring Mrs Nathan, as Josephine was fondly known among her students and teachers, was a firm believer in discipline, but she was compassionate as well. Her mere stare could silence a noisy class. If that failed, a 12-inch wooden ruler on the desk would do the trick, she said, chuckling. She was never cruel, just caring. Some of the teachers who worked with Josephine recalled how she carefully rechecked exercise books corrected by them. She also championed handwriting as an essential skill. 'There was a dedicated slot in the timetable just for handwriting,' Josephine said. 'Block letters for the younger ones (pupils), and cursive from Standard Four upwards. Teachers had to follow the standard, too.' Former teachers recall she taught her students to leave a finger's width between words and insisted on the correct use of punctuation. Many of her students, who later became teachers and headmistresses, still thank her not just for neat penmanship but for the lessons in precision and pride. Legacy of respect and excellence Josephine's commitment to excellence did not stop at her students. She reviewed teachers' record books with the same diligence, gently marking mistakes with a pencil, said Kamaleswary Sandragesu, who took over as headmistress at St Anne's Convent after Josephine was transferred to MGS Klang. Kamaleswary described Josephine as 'hardworking, fair and always the first to arrive and last to leave'. Retired teacher Quake Geok Lee, who taught at St Anne's Convent when Josephine was headmistress, recalled an incident when an education officer came to the school for an inspection and asked her (Quake) why there was a 'pin-drop silence' in the school. 'My answer was simple: our headmistress, Mrs Nathan, instilled good discipline,' Quake said, adding, 'Parents back then supported teachers. If a child was scolded in school, they got a second round (of scolding) at home! Today, parents are more defensive. How quickly times have changed.' For Josephine, it was a proud moment when her school, MGS Klang, emerged as the overall winner in the 'Best Decorated and Cleanest School' competition in 1990, organised by the Klang Education Office and Klang Municipal Council (now known as Royal Klang City Council). It competed against 73 primary and 123 secondary schools. Life beyond the classroom Josephine retired in 1991 at the age of 55, but the educator in her never truly left. She went on to offer free tuition to underprivileged children through an organisation called Educare, which was run by nuns of the Franciscan Missionary Divine Mercy. Josephine also co-founded the St Anne's Convent Alumni Association in 2015, becoming its first patron. 'My heart will always be with St Anne's. That's where I grew up,' she said. In 2014, a group of former students of St Anne's Convent, led by Cynthia Varghese and guided by Josephine, came together with a shared vision – to unite all ex-students through the alumni association. Their inaugural gathering took place on January 24, 2015, bringing together 150 former students. The alumni's 10th anniversary dinner will be held on August 23 at the Crystal Crown Hotel here. For her decades of dedicated service, Josephine was awarded the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK) by the then Sultan of Selangor in 1989. Josephine was magnanimous in paying tribute and attributing her accomplishments to the exemplary teamwork and cooperation shown by former teachers and students. Josephine, or Mrs Nathan, is undoubtedly a woman who did not just teach lessons from textbooks but shaped lives through kindness, discipline and the unshakable belief that every child, no matter how small, can shine. — Bernama
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Malay Mail
Planting the seeds of sustainability — Khalidah Adibah Sahar, Maisarah Hasbullah and Noor Munirah Isa
AUGUST 14 — If you want to see the future of Malaysia, don't look at the Parliament. Look inside a preschool classroom at 10 a.m., where tiny hands are building cities out of blocks, or pretending the water in the sandpit is an endless river. Here, in these small worlds, the habits that will one day shape the real one are already forming. A recent 2023 study by UPSI researchers involving 219 preschool teachers across Malaysia revealed something both hopeful and worrying: teachers actually know about sustainability. They believe in it. They want to model it for their students. Many can explain environmental care, social equity, and responsible resource use with ease. Their hearts are in the right place. But when the storybooks close and the day's lessons unfold, the ideals don't always make it into practice — especially in environmental and economic aspects. Recycling bins sit unused. Water keeps running while cups are washed. The concept of 'enough' is rarely discussed when resources are handed out. While social sustainability values like empathy, sharing, and cooperation are often encouraged, hands-on practices such as composting, energy saving, or storytelling around local environmental heroes are far less common. This isn't because our teachers don't care. It's because the system hasn't given them the tools, time, or training to weave sustainability seamlessly into daily learning. Early childhood teacher training programmes rarely show how to teach sustainability to a four-year-old in ways that are playful, tangible, and culturally relevant. Without that scaffolding, even the most committed educator can feel like they're improvising — and often under less-than-ideal conditions. In under-resourced schools or rural areas, these challenges become more pronounced. Limited access to outdoor spaces, a lack of clean infrastructure, or even shortages of basic materials can make 'green' teaching feel like a luxury. Yet interestingly, our study found that public and private preschool teachers demonstrated similar levels of sustainability awareness. The care is there. What's missing is the bridge between knowing and doing. The irony is sharp: we talk about building green cities and smart economies, yet the foundations — the mindsets of the next generation — are left to chance. The smallest classrooms are where the largest changes can begin, but they are also where the cracks in our commitment show most clearly. If Malaysia is serious about the Sustainable Development Goals — particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 13 (Climate Action), and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) — we need to stop treating sustainability as a subject and start treating it as a culture. A culture that's baked into curriculum design, teacher training, and the everyday rhythm of school life. Preschoolers learn how to share, how to care, and how to notice the world around them. — Picture from Unsplash/Nurpalah Dee Imagine preschools where compost bins sit next to snack tables, where community gardens are as normal as playgrounds, and where stories of indigenous environmental wisdom are told alongside fairy tales. These changes don't require massive budgets or sweeping reforms — just intentionality, creativity, and support for the educators who are already willing. Because here's the truth: preschoolers don't just learn alphabets and numbers. They learn how to share, how to care, and how to notice the world around them. They copy what they see. If their classroom models wastefulness, they will assume that's the norm. If it models care and responsibility, they will carry those habits forward. For that to happen, awareness must lead to action — not tomorrow, not when budgets improve, but now. This means giving teachers access to practical sustainability resources, embedding environmental and economic awareness into lesson plans, and recognising these efforts as central, not supplementary, to education. Once a child learns that rivers don't run forever, that rubbish doesn't disappear, and that fairness is worth fighting for, they carry it into every decision for the rest of their lives. That's not just education. That's nation-building in its purest form. And so, the challenge is not whether we believe in sustainability, but whether we are prepared to practise it in the places where it matters most. Because in the quiet of those small classrooms, with their tiny chairs and bright crayons, the future is already being written — and we get to decide what kind of story it will tell. * Khalidah Adibah Sahar, Maisarah Hasbullah and Noor Munirah Isa are senior lecturers from the Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
