- Wealthy Chinese parents are sending their children to international schools in
Japan , per Bloomberg. - In December, international schools in
China were forced to adopt state-approved curricula.
China's wealthy are paying top dollar to send their children to international schools in Japan to obtain a Western
The shift comes after international schools in China were forced to adopt state-approved curricula in December. The government's tightened grip on international and bilingual-private education has been driven by the Communist Party's ideologically driven desire to instill patriotism and curb defiance in younger generations.
According to a March report on international education in China by the Hurun Research Institute, affluent Chinese families value Western education as they believe it builds independent thinking. This preference has led to many Chinese parents sending their children to Japan for their studies.
"Chinese families, who know the safe and sanitary living environment of Japan, want to send their children to boarding schools abroad as COVID-19 restrictions in Japan eases and after the educational clampdown within China," Manabu Murata, head of Japanese international schools consulting firm Seven Seas Capital Holdings, told Insider.
Citing a study by educational data provider ISC research, Bloomberg reported that Japan has seen a spike in international school enrollments over the past year. Total tuition fees from international schools in Japan are on course to reach $979 million this year — a 27.8% increase from the $766 million collected tuition in 2017, per the outlet.
To cater to the increasing demand, international schools have been sprouting up in Japan. These include prestigious London schools such as Rugby School, Harrow International, and Malvern College, per Bloomberg.
Studying at Harrow International School Appi can be expensive, with annual tuition starting from 8.5 million yen ($63,000). The campus caters to students aged 11 to 18. Located in Japan's largest ski resort, the school has a 36-hole golf course and 18 tennis courts.
One Chinese father told Bloomberg that he was sending his children to Harrow Appi due to the school's reputation. "My friends in China are envious that my kids got into Harrow. Japan is close, culturally similar, and safe, so it's really attractive for the wealthy class in China, who are all eager to send children abroad to study," he said, per the outlet.
Harrow International School did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.