Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a Southeast Asian country home to approximately 53 million people. Nay Pyi Taw is the country’s capital city whereas its biggest city, Yangon, acts as the country’s main economic and business hub. Despite experiencing political and economic instability in the past, Myanmar’s private education sector has boomed due to the influx of expatriates and interest from local middle-income parents.
Here are three things you should know about the international school scene in Myanmar!
1. Involvement of the Ministry of Education
Prior to 2015, international schools in Myanmar were registered as companies with the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. The Ministry of Education only provides licences to schools that teach the Myanmar curriculum. Therefore, the Private Education Law was introduced in 2015, requiring all private and international schools to register with the Ministry of Education. This law also loosened the restrictions with foreign investments in the education sector which encouraged the opening of 100% foreign owned or joint ventured international schools in Myanmar.
2. Over 40 English-medium international schools
According to a recent report by the International School Consultancy (ISC), the number of international schools in Myanmar have doubled from 2012 to 2017. There are currently over 40 international schools spread across Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Tachileik. The American curriculum is extremely popular and is offered by many international schools. Other curricula offered include the British curriculum and Cambridge curriculum. Students commonly sit for the American High School Diploma and the IGCSE at the end of secondary school. A number of international schools also offer A Levels and the IB Diploma programme at pre-university level.
3. Growing demand from local parents
International school education in Myanmar began to grow in the early 2000s. The benefits of an international English-medium education have made many parents from Myanmar’s middle class consider enrolling their children in an international school. They believe that international qualifications will open up opportunities for their children to further their studies abroad, especially in British and American universities. Parents in Myanmar now have more options than ever when it comes to private education. International schools in Myanmar cater to every education level from preschool to pre-university. There are also international schools which offer boarding facilities.
Are you looking for an international school in Myanmar? Use the powerful School Finder and School Comparison tool on the Education Destination Asia website today!
