Education is one of the most important things that parents have to prepare for their children. Of course, they want to make sure that their children have the best education possible. Choosing between sending their children to formal school or for them to be homeschooled are the choices that parents can make for their children education. There are a lot of factors that parents should consider before choosing which education system is the best. Some of those factors are budget, environment, way of learning, flexibility, safety, and the result after the children finished their education.
Education is not free, there is some cost associated with it. Parents have to do budgeting to calculate how much money they have to spend for their children education, so they can have a saving plan dedicated for it. Formal school usually cost less than homeschooling, even in Indonesia it is getting funded by the government program called Bantuan Operasional Sekolah (BOS). In other hand, homeschooling usually cost more money because parents have to buy the supplies needed for their children learning tools like whiteboard, books, globe, markers, and other things that they may have need. They also have to pay for a private teacher to teach their children at home. If they want to cut budget, they can teach their children by themself, but it needs more effort and may cost their time to work.
Formal school and homeschooling have a whole different environment. In formal school, the children are in a classroom with at least 20 other children. They have to interact with diverse people, so they will learn how to socialize with others. In homeschooling system, the children usually learn at their own home, alone or with their siblings. They only have to interact with their family member or the private teacher, so they tend to be anti social. But, there is a method called community homeschooling where the children can learn in a small group like in Homeschooling by Kak Seto (HSKS), so they still can interact with other people outside their family.
Every child has their own best way of learning, they have different potential, different talent, and different interest. Formal school does not think that way, it treats every child equally. Formal school has a fixed curriculum that all of the students have to follow. They have to learn all the subjects in the curriculum. Some children may be ahead of the other children and some may be get lost or left behind because they can not catch up with the subjects. Homeschooling is a whole different way of learning. The children are able to learn at their own pace and use the most suitable learning technique for them. Parents can discuss with the private teacher to find or arrange a curriculum plan that works best for their children, so it can fit their potential, talent, and interest really well.
In terms of flexibility, homeschooling is so much more flexible than formal school. The children can learn any where and any time according to their mood. They do not have to follow schedule because they are the only student, so they can discuss with their private teacher, where or when they want to learn. Meanwhile, formal school has a fixed schedule that the students have to follow. If they are coming late to school, sometimes they will get punishment or the teacher will not allow them to enter the classroom until the next session, so they will learn to be discipline. Usually, they have to learn in the same classroom for a year and they will move to another classroom when they are going to a higher grade.
Of course, parents want to ensure that their children are safe every time and everywhere. In formal school, parents can not protect their children from all the bad influences like drugs, alcohol, porn, violence, bully, and other bad influences. Parents may have a full protection when their children are at home, they may prohibit their children to watch adult program in television or teach their child to be a good person. But, that is not always the case with other children parents. They may not really aware to their children behaviour or what their children watch on television. This children who are not raised well by their parent can be a bad influence to other children. Homeschooling can keep the children away from those bad influences that may happen in formal school. Parents can always monitor their children and give a full protection if their children are being homeschooled. Also, for children with special needs like children with autism, disability, or other disorders, they may find it easier and safer to learn in a familiar surroundings.
As we know, for applying to college or job, it is required for the applicant to have a diploma. The children who attend formal school will surely get diploma when they finished their study. But, for the children who are being homeschooled, they have to join a program called Paket A, B, and C to get a certificate that equivalent with diploma according to Permendikbud No. 129, 2014. Diploma is really important if the children want to work on public sector like police and soldier. But, if they want to pursue career that more about skills and does not really require diploma like entrepreneur and painter, homeschooling is enough without joining the Paket program.
Parents have to consider all of those factors to make sure that their children get the best possible education that can support their future and potential to the fullest. Homeschooling or formal school, it is all according to the children needs and the parents capability.
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