Many reports have ranked China as the country with the most expensive international school fees in the world. This is particularly for its biggest cities, Shanghai and Beijing.
Most studies attribute the sharp increase in costs in recent years to the rising demand for better quality international English-based education from local Chinese and not just from expats.
But some Chinese parents have become reluctant to pay the exorbitant fees and are seeking more affordable options miles away from home – Thailand.
Contrary to China, the Southeast Asian destination have boasted some of the lowest fees globally. According to a study by ExpatFinder, median annual fees at one of the cheapest schools in Thailand, Global English School, cost about USD545.
This is compared to schools in China, which can cost upwards of USD40,000 annually.
Besides the steep prices, some Chinese parents have told the South China Morning Post that Thai international school systems are more stable and better suited to meet their needs.
“The teachers in the Beijing school change frequently, but in Thailand, teachers have families there, so the faculty is stable,” said a parent.
“In Beijing, my children have to take extra English classes after school in the absence of an English-speaking environment outside class, but not in Thailand.”
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