Beyond academics

For Merle Alferez, putting up a pre-school is the logical next step to a tutorial business started 15 years ago.

"Every child can develop critical thinking and creativity," said Alferez, who opened MSA Whiz Kids this school year. "Unfortunately, the way basic education is taught now, children are not being given enough exposure or training to develop these important aspects of living and learning."

A short walk from the Makati Medical Center, the pre-school is the first salvo of MSA Academy, Inc. In the coming years, grade levels will be added until the school is able to offer both elementary and high school programs. A two-year pre-baccalaureate program will also be developed for those who wish to study or work in countries which require English proficiency.

"The MSA label speaks not only of quality education but also of true caring for the students. Our founder always tells us that if we turn away one soul, we could be ruining that child’s outlook on education forever," said MSA Academy teacher Fides Vicente.

Experience

MSA Academy intends to build on the success of MSA Academic Advancement Institute, which started out as a single proprietorship in 1987.

"I resigned as a math teacher in an exclusive school to spend more time with my only child, Gerald. Two months after, I couldn’t stand the boredom and put up a ‘math tutor’ sign outside my home," said Alferez, who charged the parents of her first client P50 an hour for her tutoring service.

Today, Gerald Alferez is very much involved in the business that has expanded to five tutorial centers in Metro Manila and one in Cebu City.

The reasons behind the success of MSA-AAI are the same reasons why MSA Academy is expected to succeed. One, the country’s population is growing by 2.3% every year. Two, the number of double-income, more affluent families has increased. These are parents who are willing to pay for the best education for their children but do not have the time and energy after work to go over the lessons of their children for the next day. Three, the funneling educational system has so many children trying to get into a few good schools. As a result, children as young as four years old must be prepared to take the competitive entrance exams for the kindergarten class.

Core lessons

"We want to teach children to love learning, not to fear it," said Alferez. "Take the fear of math in many older students. Everybody says math is hard, so the student immediately approaches any math lesson as hard. By making the numbers come alive through stories and their practical applications at the pre-school level, the child will see math as fun."

Another core lesson that MSA Whiz Kids teaches is independence. "We don’t’ do things for them. We explain it and they do it. This way, they also learn self-confidence," said Alferez.

At the end of the day, the graduates of MSA Whiz Kids will not be judged simply on how easily they have entered the formal school system. "It is not about creating geniuses. It is about paying it forward and helping children reach their full potentials," said Alferez.