Every child, says NAGCM committee member Zuhairah Ali, deserves to be educated to his full potential.

“We want gifted children to be able to access an education that meets their needs. Currently, the Malaysian classroom does not cater to diverse learning styles.”

Zuhairah also emphasises the importance of recognising that children develop at different rates.

“When the needs of each child are considered and the educational programme is designed to meet these needs, the child can make significant gains in achievement and his well-being is enhanced.”

The present system

The national educational philosophy states that education is the total development of a child – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

While there are provisions in the current system for children who suffer from learning disabilities, the needs of gifted children have been largely ignored.

Zuhairah says that this is partly because of the fallacy that such children can flourish in any educational system.

She is hopeful that the recently mooted cluster of excellent schools concept will help gifted children realise their full potential.

“With increased autonomy given to schools, specialised programmes can be drawn up to develop gifted children's intellectual potential while providing a suitable environment that allows them to grow emotionally and socially,” says Zuhairah.

Legally, primary education, which starts the year a child turns six, is compulsory by virtue of Section 29 of the Education Act 1996.

Section 143 provides for exemptions “either absolutely or subject to such conditions as (the Minister) may think fit to impose...”

The last experiment with accelerated learning was the Penilaian Tahap Satu, which enabled bright Year Three children to go direct to Year Five.

The PTS was later abolished, partly due to evidence that those who skipped a grade had not done as well as expected in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah.

Parents’ viewpoints

Parents who opt to home-school their children say they do so mainly because their children’s developmental needs are not being met in the conventional system.

The more flexible home-schooling system allows gifted children, often self-guided learners, to follow a less structured style of learning and determine what, when and how they learn.

Most parents use overseas curricula and programmes when home-schooling. The Internet has made this option even more viable.

Patricia Goh* has a nine-year old daughter, Sarah* whom she home-schools.

“She’s never been to school and never wanted to go to school.”

“There is no typical day. Sometimes, she draws for two days, then she plays music. Basically, she does anything she feels like doing,’’ says Goh, who describes Sarah as hyperactive.

Rani*, whose 12-year-old has never been to school, says, “Kindergarten put him off school as he was constantly scolded for asking too many questions and not doing as he was told.

“He could read fluently by the age of three, and being bored, he often got into trouble.”

Rani adds that many parents of gifted children are in the dark as to how to help their children since there are no resources or reference points in Malaysia.

“It is frustrating not having any guidance and help and not knowing what to do.”

Parent Robert Lam* says the Government needs to recognise that the developmental needs of gifted children are very different.

He sent his son to a regular school but gave up as the child was miserable and not socialising with his peers.

“The teacher said he was always dreaming in class. My son told me that he didn’t want to learn what was taught in school and that school was of no use to him.”

Lam says his son now has opportunities to mix with his intellectual peers, who understand him because “they are like him.”

* Names have been changed. To obtain more information, go to
http://www.nagcm.org