INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
were looking at international schools,” he says. “Now the market is very different. Provision in countries like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai have improved tremendously and the market is still evolving.” GEMS has 87 schools across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa
and North America. The offering is multi-curricular and there are options across different price segments. Nord Anglia, another major brand, has 54 schools across the Americas, Asia, Middle East and Europe. It operates in the Premium segment with a mainly British curriculum.
THE NEW PRIORITIES FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS When L.E.K. surveyed parents to find out their priorities, the results were conclusive: parents were looking for good quality teachers from Western countries and wanted a school with a diverse population of children. “Premium schools in emerging markets recruit international
talent and ensure good outcomes through quality education and innovative methods of teaching,” he says. Students in international schools are provided a global
environment with children from different nationalities. The populations that make up premium/legacy
international schools also differ from country to country. For example, in Abu Dhabi Western expats make up 80 per cent of the student population, while locals make up 20 per cent. In Singapore, the provision is very different – in international schools Western expats make up 60 per cent of
students, with Asia expats accounting for a future 36 per cent. The proportion of expat teachers varies from country to country and from school to school, with greater numbers present in the Premium sector. For example, in Singapore’s Premium sector 90
Jitin Sethi, L.E.K. Consulting
Jitin Sethi spoke at the Festival of Global People on 15 May and gave a fascinating insight into
the huge growth and variety of school provision and opportunities for parents and employers.
Add to this the value of the typical relocation package and the
tax breaks that come with working outside your home country, and the potential package looks very attractive. Additionally, relocation packages nowadays tend to give assignees a total finance package which they can spend at their own discretion, with parents often choosing to spend a proportion of it on education at a top quality international school. “The UK is ranked fourth in cost of international schools across
27 surveyed countries,” he says. For example, Harrow, Malvern, Marlborough College and
Westminster have all expanded their brand overseas. Additionally, global platforms are emerging that offer high quality K12 education to parents. GEMS and Nord Anglia are the biggest global brands, he said. These global platforms provide expatriates with schooling options
across geographies and price segments. They give parents a brand which carries an assurance of quality, and which they can find in a number of different geographies, he says. “Ten years ago, there was very little choice for parents when they
to 95 per cent of teachers are Western expats in international schools in select cities. In the mid-range schools, they account for only 50-75 per cent of staff, and in the budget range, it can be as low as 25 to 30 per cent. What’s more, the Premium schools are able to build on large campus sites in developing countries, because they don’t have the land restrictions present in places like the UK. “Top international schools have world-class infrastructure to
ensure holistic learning,” he said. “These schools are new, and they are innovative, aware of the need to provide 21st century skills, something which many parents say is lacking in the domestic school system. The larger schools have chains across multiple countries and provide a global village eco-system to parents. They are able to develop schools with excellent infrastructure, including multiple playing fields and swimming pools and world-class extra-curricular activities.”
THE SCHOOLS AND SKILLS OF THE FUTURE L.E.K.’s research also looked at the criteria by which prospective parents judged a school’s provision. “When we asked parents: Do you think the current education
system is completely obsolete? – we were asking a provocative question,” he says. “Yet 30 to 35 per cent agreed and 30–40 per cent were neutral. When we asked what were the educational needs of your child that the current school is not providing for, the main issues were practical learning, social and emotional skills and 21st century skills,” he said. “Technology is threatening traditional white-collar roles. Those 21st century skills, involving technology, and the social and emotional skills that they will need in the economy of the future, are not being met in many of the current K-12 schools.”
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