I am the father of two girls, and our eldest, only Four (4) years old at the time of this article, attends a Montessori School down the road from our home. Our school fees are R2000 (South African) per month. To some of you that may not sound like much, but if you equate that fact to many households in South Africa only earn R10 000.00 or even less.



The questions asked and proposed in this article are: Which is better?

Home Schooling?

Private Schooling?

Government Schooling?

I will continue this in a pros vs cons format under each educational type, and try to give example where I can:

Home Schooling

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Pros:

? Freedom to spend time with your children. No, I don't mean that YOU will be doing the teaching. There are many professional teachers out there who offer the service of Home Schooling, which will, normally, be much less expensive than that of Private Education.

? The child mostly is allowed to develop at their own pace. If you employ the services of a professional Home School Teacher, then they will ensure that your child keeps up to standard with their more main-stream counterparts.

Cons:

? If you do not employ a teacher to educate your child, you will need to do this yourself. Then can be a very difficult procedure, even if you yourself are a teacher. Many parents find it hard to educate and discipline their child in a 'school' kind of way. And eventually, those that give up home schooling their children find it even more difficult and traumatic for their child to enter the main stream schooling structure again.

? Socializing? Some argue this point, but many see that Home Schooling has a lack of socializing - the student does not have other students his or her own age to socialize with.

Private Schooling

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Pros:

? Good Education? Some may argue this, but many fork out thousands for the Private Education of their children.

? Looks good for university enrolment? Again, many can argue this, but some Universities like seeing the name of a good private school on the Enrolment Form.

? Image and Status: many people see it for this only. The same reason they drive the half-a-million rand car. Status.

Cons:

? The biggest is of course the Cost. In South Africa, Private schools for a single child that is in Grade 1 to Grade 7, can amount to R10, 000 or more per month. That's for 1 child, every month. High School (secondary school) can even be more costly. But you pay for a 'good' education.

? Image and Status: Yes I put this here too. In my opinion some people don't actually care about 'what education' their children get, just that they are in this school or that school. So it is a Con in a way, because those who put their child in private school, will always have to keep their child their.

Government Schooling

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Pros:

? Affordable. Mostly schooling in government education institutions is much less expensive than private and sometimes even free, especially to underprivileged children.

? A decent education: contrary to many peoples thoughts, South Africa still has a very good educational system that is constantly improving.

Cons:

? Striking Teachers. Been a Government System, it is prone to break downs from time to time. Teachers strike for wages, teachers don't pitch up for work. All because they are protected by the unions.

? Mass Schooling: Some schools have to cope with 40 or more students in one class. And no matter how good the teacher is, he or she cannot ever handle that many. Some slower children will get left behind.

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With all that said, I welcome your comments, suggestions and feedback. I hope I have not leant too closely to any particular side. The most important thing is that EVER CHILD IN EVERY COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION!

The next most brilliant scientist who is going to make the biggest break through in medical history this century may just be that boy begging at the traffic lights!

Thanks for reading,

Christopher West

http://www.primecareplacements.co.za