“We bring to Vietnam: Eastern Values, Western Education”, said Ricky Tan – Chairman of KinderWorld Group in a talk with Vietnam Business Forum on occasion of its groundbreaking ceremony of a “super school” project in the Binh Duong New City.
Could you give us a brief introduction of Kinderworld as well as some achievements in recent years?
The KinderWorld Group was founded in 1986 in Singapore. Our first pre-school centre was opened in Singapore and to-date, the KinderWorld Group has grown extensively, especially in Vietnam providing education for students from Pre-Nursery up to University Foundation Programme.
In the late 1990s, the investors of KinderWorld decided to extend its operations into overseas markets, including Vietnam. KinderWorld opened its first International Preschool Centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2000 and International Primary Schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2004. KinderWorld is continuously working closely with Education Departments in Australia, Singapore and Vietnam to ensure that our schools meet international standards.
KinderWorld currently operates KinderWorld International Kindergartens in Binh Duong, Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue City and Singapore International Schools (SIS) in Binh Duong, Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue City.
What objectives would you target? What benefits would you give to students?
KinderWorld believes in offering a combination of Eastern values with an International outlook on education. Singapore International School conducts its programmes largely based on criteria set out by the Ministry of Education, Singapore and a range of key learning areas of the Australian curriculum and then modified for our international student community.
Students will develop a strong academic foundation with the Singapore syllabus and will sit for the International Primary School Examination (iPSLE) administered by the Singapore Examination and Assessment Board (SEAB) before taking the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) by the University of Cambridge and finally the Global Assessment Certificate (GAC) for their university foundation programme. The GAC programme will be undertaken in the final year of high school study which provides access to over 100 universities.
Could you give more detailed information about your project of building an international school in Binh Duong province?
We are embarking on a major initiative to establish a Super School concept in Binh Duong New City. Singapore International School @ Binh Duong New City will comprise of a through-trained education from Pre-nursery to High School. A pathway will be established for our students to pursue international-quality university education both locally and abroad. KinderWorld has secured a 50 year land lease with Becamex and will invest approximately twelve million USD for this education facility when completed.
This campus will comprise a kindergarten with a capacity of five hundred students, a primary school for one thousand students and a high school for another one thousand students. It will be a state-of-the-art institution with modern facilities and technology. Besides having modern hardware and facilities as part of our unique education environment, we will also be providing a very strong curriculum based on our slogan; Eastern Values, Western Education.
How do you evaluate HCMC’s development after 35 years of liberation? What is your development plan in the future?
During the 10 years we have been in Vietnam, we have witnessed strong economic growth with an average growth rate of above 6.8% per annum over the past 7 years. We have also seen the rapid development of the education landscape in Vietnam. Many initiatives and action plans have been put in place to change the education system to meet the demands of investors’ expectations.
As Vietnamese are now more affluent and have easy access to global information, they have placed a high emphasis on high-quality education for their children. KinderWorld is honoured and pleased to be part of this education transformation.
From one campus in 2000, we have expanded today to fifteen campuses from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City including Hue, Danang, Binh Duong and Vung Tau. Our network will continue to expand to twenty-five campuses across Vietnam and will provide placements to more than 20,000 students in 5 years.
To provide continued education for our students to further their education beyond high school, our plan is to set up an International University in Vietnam. This has become a vital and timely development in our education endeavour.
The proposed Pegasus International University will provide the programmes in Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Skills, Business and Commerce, Information & Communication Technology (ICT), English Language, Teachers’ Education and Training, to meet the rising demand and needs of highly skilled and qualified Vietnamese graduates for the country’s development.
Thank you very much
Quang Dai
The Binh Duong New City is considered as a place of attracting intellectual capital & technology. In the process of development, the centre of the city will be first built up, then expanded & connected to other places to create a series of surrounding satellite towns. Construction of the new city is to supplement old deficiencies and to meet new demands of industrial and economic development.
With an investment of an education facility in the Binh Duong New City, KinderWorld Group has decided to build up a model of super school, providing educations for students from kindergarten up to and including University preparation programe with international and bilingual curricula. The entire supporting facility of the school will be fully equipped in accordance to international standard and completely located in its campus, but remained its independent and distinct feature, appropriate for every age and level. Especially, the school will apply modern & advanced equipment in teaching & learning to create an exciting, comfortable learning environment for students.
Application of advanced management system is one of strengths of this model. The system (covering all levels of school) aims to create uniformity in the conduct of content and curriculum. Also, separate management department of each school will offer a variety of school activities in order to adapt to each level.
