I’m in Hong Kong this week researching the education system. Of particular interest is the international school market.
For the past several years, Hong Kong was one of the world’s fastest growing markets for international schools. The robust growth was driven by increasing numbers of expatriate families moving to Hong Kong. Eventually, the demand for international schools outstripped supply and waiting lists became very long.
Enter the financial turndown. As the economy slowed and many expatriate families left Hong Kong, international schools lost students last year.
Despite the drop in enrollment and fees ranging from US$775 to US$2,000 per month, waiting lists are still long and expatriates are still finding it difficult to place their children in international schools in Hong Kong.