ETONHOUSE INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES FIRST INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA

By Nor Faridah Abd Rashid



KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Recognising the fact that Malaysia is fast
emerging as a hub for international education in Asia, EtonHouse International
Education Group has launched its first international pre-school here, which is
set to raise the bar for international pre-schools in Malaysia.

A joint venture between Midwest Acres Sdn Bhd and Singapore-based EtonHouse
Group, EtonHouse Malaysia pre-school will adopt an inquiry-based education
framework inspired by the Reggio Emilia educational project in northern Italy.

The pre-school, owned and operated by Midwest Acres, is expected to take in
250 students annually.

Midwest Acres managing director Onny Maathai said the Reggio Emilia
Approach was committed towards recognising and encouraging the natural curiosity
and inherent intelligence for the child, allowing them to learn according to
their own independent intelligence, the benchmark of lifelong learners.

“It is very much a children-based education where children are respected for
who they are, rather than a teacher-based education. It is important to bring
this kind of environment to Malaysia,” he told a press conference at the
launch of the pre-school by the Raja Perempuan Perlis (The Royal consort of the
Sovereign) Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid over the weekend.

The Raja Perempuan and Ruler of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra
Jamalullail were guests of honour at the function.

“We believe a child must be prepared for primary schools, not only in terms
of academic performance but also in terms of character and how they respect the
environment, teachers and friends,” said Maathai.

He added that the EtonHouse philosophy of a holistic and balanced curriculum
delivered in a way that engaged children, complemented many of the
world’s best educational institutions.

“Children at EtonHouse are recognised as competent learners who are
supported in making an active contribution to their own learning. This is
something relatively unique in Malaysia and we are very excited to be able to
bring such a clearly effective system to Malaysia," he said.

He said EtonHouse Malaysia also planned to start pre-schools in other
areas like Sri Hartamas and Mutiara Damansara, as well as looking at setting up
primary and secondary international schools in the next one to two years.

Ng Gim Choo, the founder and managing director of EtonHouse International
Education Group, said EtonHouse had over 15 years of experience in operating
pre-schools and international schools in seven countries, namely Singapore,
China, Indonesia, India, Korea, Japan and Malaysia.

She said, with over 3,000 students from 54 different nationalities,
EtonHouse schools and pre-schools offered a truly dynamic and multicultural
environment with proven expertise in offering an international educational
environment of the highest standard.

“Our local partners have demonstrated their knowledge and willingness to
enhance the level of pre-school education in the country, and this obviously
makes us very enthusiastic about the first Malaysian pre-school in our family,”
she said.

Ng said that research had indicated that basically, after the age of
seven, it would be very difficult to change a child’s personality and as such,
“the younger the children, the more important the education.”

At EtonHouse Kuala Lumpur, the curriculum focuses on “inquire, think, learn”
which were inspired by the Reggio Emilia pre-schools and infant toddler centres
of Italy.

The curriculum is designed to support children between the ages of three and
seven to further develop communication competencies. It is aimed at ensuring
that the process of learning is meaningful to young children and builds a
lifelong love for learning that is then reflected in future school and
professional life.

Ng said that EtonHouse kept track of its pre-school students and found that
they had done well in primary school, like becoming student monitors and head
prefects.

“They are confident and have acquired good communication skills,” she
added.

Meanwhile, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul
Jalil said there was no more important cause than preparing
children for the rest of their lives, "where every child can enjoy a life full
of love and laughter, where they can dream and have the chance to succeed."

“I hope EtonHouse Malaysia will provide us all, with the opportunity to
learn more about early childhood education and current best practices, in tandem
with the prime minister’s aspirations to thrust the nation into a developed and
high income nation.

"The knowledge we gain, will make a powerful difference in the lives of
millions of children since they will be the next generation of leaders,
policy-makers, teachers and educators who will continue the legacy left by past
leaders,” she said in her speech.

-- BERNAMA