pls don't disappoint me..

hey ya!

I was asked by a friend to try enrolling Daniyal for next Nursery 2 at MERCU in Pasir Ris. I heard a lot of good reviews abt them so, I called them up and... boy! was I impressed. Now, I hope that impression will lasts forever.. until at least he's Kindergarten 2 :D

Session 2 at 1pm - 5pm (except Friday 12pm - 4pm due Friday prayers)

Lessons include:

Gross & Fine Motor Development

English Language

Mother Tongue (MALAY)

Shared Reading

Project Work

Twinkle Readers Structured Reading Programme

Music & Movement

Art & Craft

Values & Practices

Indoor & Outdoor Play

MerQ Speech & Drama

IQRA Enrichment Programmes

A lot for a 4 year old, huh? But, always the best time to start them with all the foundations that he may need once he goes in to Pri 1.. and they will introduce him to Science once he's in K1 and K2.. the fees, u may asked?

N2, K1 & K2 = $150.00

Transport is estimated to be $75.00

and hey hey! I made the right choice in withdrawing Daniyal from the childcare this December because the childcare fees are so so high effective next year..

$650 for a full day child care.. reasons?

Because they are employing more Diploma holders qualified teachers for a child care educator post.. I find this hard to believe.. because you know why??!

If you look at those heartland childcare centres, you will notice that most of the care-givers and educators are... foreign recruited teachers and Daniyal's centre alone has a few from China and I'm not surprised, if some of them are from India.. u can tell by their accent.. but of course you don't expect us parents to question the teachers' nationalities, right? There were a few occassions where Daniyal's teachers would comment in the small notebook about his daily acitivities and boy! at times I don't know whether to cry or laugh at their broken english.. gosh! And I wonder what Daniyal learnt from them.

Quoting an incident on Tuesday morning. We (mom and me) sent Daniyal to his centre.. A chinese teacher came to receive him at the door.. One look and I know where she's from. After I signed on the attendance booklet, I started to walk away and suddenly I heard someone shouted.

"Ah-Ma! Ah-Ma!" I turned and I saw that chinese teacher.. So, u would already know that my guess of her nationality is correct.

"Tah-Ni-Yal.. He bathed oleadi?"... *faints*

So u see, I guess it's the correct time to withdraw him..

Ministry made the correct move by revising their criterias to 5 'O' Levels for applicants who wish to take up Diploma in Pre School teaching. This is so necessary, so we are assured that the educators and care-givers have the right qualifications to nurture the youngs. I really hope that this will improve the quality of teachers that we have at Heartlanders centres as well and not only to those privatised and 'well-known' montessoris.

I hope when the time comes for me to register my 'future' second child in a Heartland childcare centre, I would not be faced with the same scenarios if not, then, I would really want to know the rationale in the increasing child care fees.

So MERCU, please don't disappoint me!

For more info on MERCU, click here.