Everything You Need to Know About Learning Centres

Learning centres can be found in most residential and commercial areas in Malaysia, and are an important aspect of the educational landscape here. The majority of learning centres in Malaysia provide focused tutoring on school subjects with the aim of helping children excel in a given area of the curriculum such as English, mathematics or science, or prepare for high-stakes exams like the IGCSE, IELTS or SAT.

What Is Learning Centre?

Not to be confused with enrichment centres, which aim to provide a non-traditional, engaging learning environment that incorporates elements of play and creative technology to help children cultivate an enjoyment of learning, motivate them to explore the world around them, and inspire them academically. Besides offering the standard academic subjects typically found in school curricula, some learning centres also provide unique courses such as Lego robotics, photography, kids yoga and pilates, cooking, theatre production, rock music and fencing. These courses open up new opportunities for children to develop talents in areas that are not typically covered in the conventional school curriculum. Generally, learning centres improve academic skills whereas enrichment centres improve soft skills.  

Age Group Of Learning Centre? Best age to start?

There are learning centres for children of any age. Each centre is unique in terms of which age groups they focus on. Some may have the same classes that cater to younger and older children.

What is the purpose of Learning Centres? 

The main purpose parents enroll their children in learning centres is to brush up their academic skills especially when it comes to English, science and mathematics subjects. Non-academic learning centres also give children the opportunity to explore their interests and passions. Children can also sharpen their talent and meet new friends at learning centres. 

What are Learning Centres programmes?

Many learning centres have developed their own unique programs and practices. Beyond offering traditional “tuition”, these institutions employ cutting-edge teaching and learning approaches, thereby enriching the learning experience and enabling students to approach a familiar subject area in a fresh and exciting manner. There are also centres that offer courses and activities not found in the school curriculum such as swimming, music, martial arts, dancing and foreign languages to provide children with a well-rounded educational experience. In the past few years, enrichment centres – learning centres that employ more modern, inquiry-based pedagogical methods – have become increasingly popular on the local education scene.

Types of Learning Centre

Non-academic learning centres include sports, music, martial arts, foreign languages, performing arts, robotics and coding, science, cooking, photography, yoga and speech, among others.  

There are a number of learning centres located across Malaysia. Majority of them are privately owned and offer a variety of courses and classes. Generally, learning centres are divided into academic and non-academic centres. Recently, a number of private academic learning centres have applied for international school licences. 

How do you apply for a Learning Centre?

Each learning centre has a different application process depending on what they offer. Language centres may require potential students to sit for assessment tests. Parents are encouraged to contact the learning centre for more information. There are also several learning centres that have an application form on their website that parents can fill up.

How to choose the right Learning Centre?

Parents need to take several factors into consideration when choosing a learning centre for their child. Firstly, a child’s learning needs and goals need to be taken into account. Does he or she require help in better understanding a school subject or excelling in an exam, or would it be good for him to gain proficiency in a musical instrument or explore his interest in the inner-workings of an engine? Next, a child’s learning style is also an indicator of which centre to go for. Parents should observe whether their children are visual learners, auditory learners, kinesthetic learners or tactile learners. 

In addition, parents should also consider the kind of skills and knowledge they want their child to gain at a specific learning centre. Traditionally academic-leaning classes were believed to boost a child’s prospects for higher education and employment, but parents’ mindsets have evolved and embraced the developmental value of exposing children to creative endeavors such as art and music. Last but not least, parents must not overwhelm children as they already have schoolwork, extracurricular activities and social lives. It’s important for them to rest and have time with the family as well. Parents should only enroll their children in learning centres if there is sufficient time and interest. 

What are the fees for Learning Centre?

Fees are a major consideration when it comes to choosing a learning centre and it helps to find out the various options available suited for you financially. Courses that offer a low student-to-teacher ratio are also generally better as the tutors can provide students with individualized attention and instruction. Fees for learning centres can go up to four figures annually.

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