Pre-school hunting

Xavier will be 19 months by January 2010 and Steven and I have agreed to send him to pre-school with day care.

Hence, I started my survey last month (October), visited the schools and enquired the rates as follows:

1) Taska at Bandar Puteri 6
Monthly: RM 550 (include breakfast-lunch-teatime)
Material: RM 350 (every 6 months)
Deposit: RM 250
Registration: RM 100
Uniform: RM 26
Teaching method: 2 ~ 5 years old (montessori), 4 ~ 6 years old (kindergarden)
Language: English, Malay and Chinese
Student Population: total approx. 40 students, 10 students for montessori level with 2 teachers.
Student-Teacher Ratio: 1: 10
Environment: Overall is satisfying and most important is clean. Nice garden with fence. Gated staircase. Ample space.
Attitude: The principal is a very nice lady.
Comment:Under consideration as the education is acceptable. Only considering the monthly fee.


2) Taska at Bandar Kinrara
Monthly: RM 460 (include breakfast-lunch-teatime)
Material: Not required
Deposit: (forgot to get information)
Registration: (forgot to get information)
Uniform: (forgot to get information)
Teaching method: 3 ~ 6 years old (kindergarden). By Jan 2010, will accept 3 months old child.
Language: English and Malay
Student Population: total approx. 20 students with 2 teachers.
Student-Teacher Ratio: 1: 10
Environment: Not satisfying as small space and not that clean as have odor in the whole house.
Attitude: The principal is a very nice lady.
Comment: Rejected.

3) Taska at Taman Putra Prima
Monthly: RM 460 (include breakfast-lunch-teatime-dinner)
Material: RM 290 (every 6 months)
MELS (computerized lesson) : RM 100 per year
Deposit: RM 100
Registration: RM 50
Uniform: RM 26
Teaching method: 2 ~ 6 years old (kindergarden)
Language: English, Malay and Chinese
Student Population: total approx. 30 students.
Student-Teacher Ratio: 1: 10
Environment: Cleanliness is OK. No proper sink to wash used utensils, no gated staircase. the garden is fully cemented.
Attitude: The principal is a very nice guy.
Comment: Not considering to enrol as I don't like the idea of teaching using computer for young children.

4) Tadika at Taman Putra Prima
Monthly: RM 460 (include breakfast-lunch-teatime)
Material: (forgot rate)
Deposit: RM 100
Registration: RM 50
Uniform: RM 35
Teaching method: 2 ~ 6 years old (kindergarden)
Language: English, Malay and Chinese
Student Population: total approx. 100 students.
Student-Teacher Ratio: 1: 20
Environment: Cleanliness is OK. Garden is OK. Forgot to check eating place.
Attitude: The teacher is a very nice lady. Spoke to principal on the phone, she sounds very determined to provide good education to her students at young age.
Comment: Not considering to enrol as the school is too academic for Xavier at the moment. However, seems that the students looks well prepared for Chinese school!

As a conclusion, I am still hunting for more schools to check out. I will need to finalize and visit the school during school time within this month as the school holiday starts on 21-November-2009.