Looking to move abroad and want to know which country will offer your kids the best education? Read on to find out which countries rank the highest according to expats and why.
5. Hong Kong
Despite Hong Kong ranking in the bottom three for both availability of education and its costs, the quality of the education is still ranks as excellent. The Hong Kong education system is based on the UK curriculum. Lessons are taught in both Cantonese and English meaning that Hong Kong produces many bilingual students.
You might find that there is a lot of competition to get your kids into the schools in Hong Kong. There are private international schools but the costs of these can be extremely high, reaching HKD 183,000 (~USD 23,408).
Your children will have to work hard and will be continuously assessed throughout their school years but are guaranteed to come out well-equipped for university.
4. South Korea
The quality of education in South Korea was rated as excellent by 47% of expat parents in the survey. This East Asian nation is famous for its intense education system and has a literacy rate of nearly 98%.
Educational status is everything in South Korea and young students devote their lives to getting top grades. After long, hard school days, many students spend their evenings in private tutoring or completing their homework.
If you think your kids will be able to cope with the demanding school days in South Korea, they are bound to come out with incredible results and go on to the best universities in the world.
3. Switzerland
Expat parents have stated that the quality of education in Switzerland is among the best in the world according to InterNation’s survey. There is a variety of local, private and international schools on offer but only 5% of students attend private schools.
Pay attention to which Swiss district, or canton, you will be living in as each one is responsible for its own education system. The canton will dictate which language lessons are taught in – French, German or Italian. International schools teach in English as their main language. Your kids will be excited to know that school uniform does not exist in Switzerland!
2. Singapore
53% of expat parents rate the quality of education as excellent in Singapore despite the cost of education. Singaporean education focuses on achievement and getting the highest marks in every exam. The public school system offers free education with small ‘miscellaneous fees’.
There are lots of international schools in Singapore with teaching in English, but there is a substantial cost for putting your child through these high achieving schools.
Fees can range from anywhere between $15,000 to $30,000 per annum. If you can’t afford these higher costs, don’t worry as you won’t struggle to find a good public school for your kids in Singapore.
1. Finland
Finland is always making headlines for its amazing education system so it’s unsurprising that expats rated it first for quality of education. 70% of expat parents stated that the quality of education in Finland is excellent. All schools are publicly funded with basic education from 7-16 years old.
Teachers have more freedom in Finland allowing them to experiment with their teaching style. For example, they can create their own exams based on what they think is right for their students.
Lastly, Finnish law states that students must be given 15 minutes of play for every 45 minutes of studying. Team this with the little to no homework, and your kids will settle in here in no time!