Bilingual International School - an economical and safe option in the post-Covid era

In the last two years, although Covid-19 has affected more or less the income status of each family, but the investment on their child’s education has not accordingly decreased. Instead, parents often ponder more thoroughly on picking safe solutions to ensure throughout the child's learning process.

Study abroad or study at international schools?

Having their children study abroad right from high school is no stranger to Vietnamese parents, with the desire to give their children early access to advanced education and career guidance before entering university. However, at the present time, this is considered a risky option while Covid-19 is not fully controlled.

Meanwhile, if studying at the leading international schools in the country, children are still equipped with a solid English foundation and standard knowledge with valuable output degrees from around the world. The most popular programs are Cambridge (UK), IB (Switzerland) and AP (United States). In addition, when attending high school in the country, children also have time to be close to their families, be fostered more in their native language and local culture before they are mature enough to be independent and overcome literary barriers. Chemistry while studying abroad.

Fully international or bilingual?

Ho Chi Minh City has more than 40 so-called international schools operating but in fact only 22 schools are officially recognized by the HCMC Department of Education and Training, including: Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), School Horizon International Bilingual School, TAS International School, European International School, English Teaching International School, Saigon South International School ... These schools are divided into two main groups, including 100% international school and parallel school. language.

With tuition fees for the 2021-2022 school year from 260 - 820 million VND, gradually increasing from grade 1-12, 100% international schools teach an international program with native teachers with an output of 1 international degree. . Students have the opportunity to develop good English skills and physical and extracurricular activities. In addition to the high tuition fees (up to more than 4 million / day for high school), the program also has other limitations such as high entry English requirements, less exposure to Vietnamese language and culture. For ethnic groups, it is difficult to switch to bilingual and public schools when there is a fluctuation in the family's finances.

In the group of advanced bilingual schools, students are allowed to attend two parallel programs including international and national programs (MOET), with half the time taught in English and 2 diplomas and certificates of output. . Overcoming the limitations of the 100% international program, students are well-developed in both English and Vietnamese, while maintaining Vietnamese values ​​and easily transitioning to international schools completely. or public schools. Meanwhile, the tuition in these schools is only half or 2/3 of the 100% international schools.

Representing this group is Vietnam Australia International School (VAS) established in 2014, with 7 campuses, more than 8,200 students and nearly 1,000 Vietnamese and foreign teachers (15% of whom have Master or higher degree). VAS is one of four international schools in HCMC licensed by the Ministry of Education & Training to teach the Cambridge fully integrated programme. The outputs of the programme are Cambridge International Baccalaureate AS / A Level and National High School Diploma. In the 2021-2022 school year, the school announced that the tuition fees from grade 1-12 ranged from VND 185-462 million/year, with 22-25 periods of academic English per week in the bilingual programme (CAP). For the Full International Cambridge programme, class 6-12 tuition fees range from 290-497 million VND/year, corresponding to 28-36 English periods/week.

The criteria for school selection?

In addition to the group of advanced bilingual schools that offer Cambridge, IB or AP academic programs, there is another group of bilingual schools that only offer the national program combined with the intensive English program or the high school program of one state, another country. In which, the amount of time in English accounts for 1/3 with 10-16 periods / week, and the output is high school diploma and foreign language certificates.

Therefore, in order to give children a standard international school and suitable for the family's long-term financial ability, parents need to consider 5 main factors: popular curriculum with an output degree. international values, length of academic English teaching, quality of teachers, qualifications for exams at each grade level and extracurricular activities, skills development.