Institusi Pendidikan Swasta / Private Education Institution

Few parent recently asked me about the difference between Tadika and Pusat Perkembangan Ilmu. Well i thought i share the difference in all private education system that exist in Malaysia.

Our private education comes under the purview of Ministry of Education. There is several categories which include the following:
1. Tadika. (Kindergarten)
2. Sekolah swasta (Private school) (Agama, Primary, Secondary and International/Antarabangsa)
3. Perkembangan/ Kemahiran (Child enrichment, MLVK, Computers school etc)
4. Pusat Tuisyen (Tuition center)
How do we recognize them? Easy just refer to their license. If their operating license read out Pusat Perkembangan ilmu, then they are under category 3.
What is the difference between 1 and 3? Some claiming to be tadika but has license under category 3. Well it is all under same Ministry with differing guidelines. Tadika has to comply with National curriculum and their operation must be in Taman (House). Pusat perkembangan is all about enriching specific skill sets and therefore free from curriculum adherence (they follow their own curriculum) plus they operate out of shop lots. You can see there is big difference when it comes to preparing your kids for school (primary which is what tadika is set out to do) against enrichment (such as mathematics skills) which not necessarily prepares your child entry to schooling world.
Why then there is some tadika in shop lot? The answer is they are pusat perkembangan and not tadika. Thus they are not govern by National curriculum. It depends on what the parent want as end result. Pusat Perkembangan has its own strength in preparing specifics skill set such as English, Mathematic or computer. Tadika has to include other aspect such as Moral, Physical Education and Religious subject.
So if the license on the sign board start with Pusat Perkembangan then they are not license under Tadika? Yes. Tadika license start with TADIKA XXXXXX. Similarly tuition license start with Pusat Tuisyen XXXXX.
I hope I had managed to clear the air about this topic. After all I guess many parent are already planning to register their children in school and thus has this specific question raised.