Key trends in Asian & Middle Eastern markets
British schools are increasingly looking at new opportunities and new markets in Asia and the Middle East, but cultural, regulatory and financial restrictions mean that they have to plan carefully. Increasingly, aspirational middle class families want their children to speak and learn in English, but they also prioritise an education that maintains the values and language of their own culture, as Marianne Curphey reports.
GROWING DEMAND FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION IN ASIA Across Asia, there is a lot of value placed on education by families. Their spend per household is way higher than in most parts of the world. This is driven by a real aspiration in growing economies among the aspirational middle class. The key question for many families is: How do we give competitive advantage to our children? One answer is through English acquisition, and another is through access to universities outside their own country. However, Alex McGrath, owner and founder of
Castlegate Education, explains that many families do not want this to be at the expense of their own culture. “One trend in more sophisticated markets such as
Malaysia and Thailand is growing concern among elites that international schools, whether British, American or Australian, are starting to erode children’s national identity,” he explains. “Thai children, for instance, may attend an
international school, be taught in English, spend time with international peers, and develop a frame of reference shaped by international media. As a result, they may lose some grounding in Thai culture.”
Many parents want their children to gain English
proficiency, study abroad and then return home to run Thai companies. If students lose that cultural frame of reference, they may struggle to re-access that world. Alex says this is an area where many UK schools are not adapting or thinking carefully enough about how they manage the balance between international education and local identity.
LESSONS FROM THE UAE He says the UAE provides a contrasting model. From the beginning, regulators have been clear that international schools must include Islamic studies, Arabic and other local elements within the curriculum. Thailand has not taken the same approach, which means schools need to be careful moving forward. Otherwise, they risk becoming less relevant at a time when demand is changing and, in some places, shrinking. “If students are expected to return home and run
companies or represent international businesses in their own countries, they need to be able to operate confidently within local society,” he explains. “A similar dynamic emerged in China and contributed to tighter government
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GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION & SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION MARKET ASIA & MIDDLE EAST
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