Before joining SCI, I also never understood why international students wanted to enroll into local schools. Since private schools are somewhat similar to tuition, where they have a smaller student-to-teacher ratio, hence more specialised attention to a student. They also have a wider variety of co-curriculum activities available to choose from, developing more skills and grow their passion.

However now, I understand the importance of enrolling into a government school. Here’s a few reasons why:

• Cheaper school fees Private school fees range up to $50,000 per year while local schools are around $20,000 only.
• Robust Curriculum Private schools’ curriculum varies according to the type of course one takes, while local schools have a standardised curriculum across. This definitely helps with setting the bar for all. However, students in local schools continue to have an option to go for what they like during Secondary 3, where they get to choose their choice of subject combination most suited for them.
• Qualified NIE-trained Teachers NIE, which stands for National Institute of Education, have a programme to train and prepare one for one to be a teacher. It develops the knowledge and skills to effectively help with the challenges one may face in a school setting. Most teachers in private schools are not NIE-qualified, where it is necessary to be qualified by NIE to teach in a government school.
• Extensive Database of Resources The materials in local schools are based on what will be tested in national exams, where they have a strong foundation and students won’t stray away from the syllabus.