After a month of attending online classes at her new high school (SMK/public school), Cass finally told me that she wanted to switch school – back to the initial high school of her choice, which is a coveted independent Chinese high school (ICHS). She passed the entrance exam in December last year and was accepted into the school. We had paid the registration and January fee. However, she later changed her mind about going to this school and went to a feeder public school assigned to her.
I wasn’t keen to transfer Cass back to this ICHS mainly because, like I’d mentioned in my previous posts, I do not wish for Cass to struggle studying in Chinese for another 5-6 years in a ‘military’ style tough Chinese high school. Plus, this school is well known for emphasizing importance in academics. It’s not uncommon for students to transfer out from this school to a national school when they can no longer cope with the pressure from this ICHS. There’s a minimum average mark that students have to maintain in order to remain in this school. Another reason is the school fees. Hubby’s business and income have been affected since last year when the MCO was imposed in our country at the start of the Covid19 pandemic. With Cass studying in this private school, another huge cost will be added to our monthly expenses.
But I see it pointless for Cass to continue studying at her current high school when she has shown almost zilch interest during online classes. She doesn’t look happy or enthusiastic since the start of online classes in mid January this year. After spending 6 years in a Chinese primary school, the teaching method and language (in BM) seems to have given her a slight ‘culture shock’.
Knowing that chances of our appeal to be accepted back into this ICHS are slim, I still tried my luck and emailed the school. Several days later, a staff from the academics department of the ICHS called to inform me that our appeal has been approved. I had to confirm the switch in school by 3pm on the same day as a lot has to be done for Cass’ data which has been deleted from the school system to be keyed in again so that Cass can start online lessons the next day. The staff warned me that the school’s academic expectations are high and homework is heavy. She warned me that Cass will have a lot of catching up to do as she has missed out on a month’s worth of studies and homework. I explained Cass’ health issues and her impending surgery this year to the staff and she told me to consider carefully on the switch of school as Cass will have to put in a lot of hard work to catch up on studies/homework that she’ll be missing during the surgery and recuperation at home.
Cass wasn’t worried anymore about the heavy homework load and possibility of struggling for another 5-6 years studying Chinese. She just wanted to switch back to the high school of her initial choice. All Science and Math subjects are taught in dual language in English and Chinese.
I called the school back at 3pm on the same day to confirm Cass’ registration, made the necessary payment and Cass started her first online class the next day at 7:20 a.m. Online classes start from 7:20 a.m. and only end at 2:30 p.m. from Mondays through Saturdays. I’ve never seen Cass this enthusiastic in her online lessons since late last year. I hope that she finds her mojo and zeal in her studies again in her new high school. And she’s happiest as her best friend is also studying in this school, albeit in another class.
The next morning, Alycia had to be in school to arrange tables and chairs in preparation for her final leg exam in high school – SPM, which starts next Monday for a duration of one month! After Alycia was done with the arrangement of tables and chairs, she collected her school leaving cert and helped me to buy Cass’ books. And there goes another RM500+ on books and another RM600 for the school’s yearly miscellaneous fees!
Haru like a koala bear on Cass’ hoodie jacket while she attends online lessons 😁
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