JOHOR BARU: Like many Singaporean boys his age, 15-year-old Ian Chan gets up early to make sure that he gets to school on time.

He starts his day at 6am when a school van picks him up from home to head towards the campus and then sends him home again at 2.30pm.

But unlike many Singaporean children his age - or for that matter, many Malaysian children -, Ian doesn't head for any school on the island republic.

Ian goes to an international school in Johor, one of the two dozen that have sprouted in the state.

His father, Singaporean Alecz Chan, has no qualms about having to fork out more money for his children's education in Johor as this means that they will be spending more quality time together.

The 43-year-old said the decision to transfer his kids to study in Johor Baru was not a difficult one as he already owns a real estate business in Permas Jaya here since two years ago.

“I frequently spend time in Johor and Kuala Lumpur to run my business. Previously, while I set up my operations here, my parents took care of my 15-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter in Singapore.

“After things stabilised, I decided to enroll my 15-year-old son in an international school here in October.

“I am a single father so naturally, I want my children to be close to me,” he said in an interview by The Star.

When Chan discussed the transfer with his son, the teenager did not oppose it and was open to the idea.

Things moved forward from there, he said, adding that they set up appointments to view some international schools near their Permas Jaya house and eventually decided on Paragon Private and International School in Plentong.

The application for his son’s student visa took about three to four months to get approved and Chan is also in the process of getting a student visa for his daughter, who will be starting her tertiary studies at Sunway College here next month.

Chan is not the only Singaporean or foreigner who chooses to send their children to international schools in Johor as indicated by interviews with industry players. 

A check by The Star on the Malaysia's Education Ministry website found that there are currently 29 international schools listed in Johor.

This is an increase from the total number of international schools reported in 2022, which was 23.

Among the international schools are the Marlborough College Malaysia, Stellar International School, Raffles American School, Paragon Private and International Schooland Sunway International School Sunway City Iskandar Puteri.

The number of international schools as well as students from Singapore and other countries in these establishments are expected to increase with the setting up of Johor's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Special Financial Zone (SFZ) by year end.

Currently, scores of Malaysian students travel across to the republic each day, getting up as early as 4am to make it to school on time when classes start around 7.15am.

According to Stellar Education Group founder and chief executive officer Daniel Loh Han Yen, the international school has seen a steady year-on-year increase of Singaporean enrollments.

The school, he said, currently has 614 students, with the local to international student ratio at 60:40 and with the majority of the international students being Koreans, followed by Chinese nationals, Japanese and neighbouring Singaporeans.

“I believe the main reasons why Singaporeans choose to send their children to study across the border was because they wanted to get out of the Singaporean education system, which tends to be quite stressful and academically-driven.

“Other factors, such as the quality of life in Johor Baru and exposure to international culture, also help parents make their decision,” he said.

He said another factor could also be that most countries do not allow their local students to study at international schools locally as these are meant for expatriates.

This used to be the case for Malaysia, said Loh, adding that the government only started allowing Malaysian students to attend international schools locally starting from July 1, 2012.

Asked about the fee structure at his school, Loh said it has not adjusted its school fees for two years for existing students as the management understood that many families have just recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“According to last year’s data from the Johor Education Department, the average international school fee in Johor is RM3,163 - our fee is around RM1,600, which is 50.57% lower."

“One of our education group’s key philosophies is that we want the school fees to be affordable without compromising on quality,” added Loh.

Paragon Private and International School deputy school director Chua Sing Zhi said international schools in Malaysia, especially those in Johor, provide a more cost-effective option for Singaporean parents who want an alternative education system for their children.

“We offer the Cambridge curriculum at our international school and our private school offers the Malaysian curriculum.

“We also have other value-added programmes for each school focusing on building resilience, enhancing critical thinking, fostering collaboration and honing presentation skills while ensuring the students are well-prepared for future challenges,” she said.

Students, added Chua, were also given the opportunity to discover their own talents and perform during the school’s open day and sports day as they believe that each child has their own potential.

“Our life skills curriculum also provides practical courses in cooking, culinary arts, sewing and design and technology, equipping them with essential skills for everyday life and future independence," she said, adding that the school provides a holistic education that combines academic excellence with practice expertise.

"Many parents, including foreigners, find these attractive for their children,” she said.

Chan said initially, he had received negative views from his relatives about his decision to relocate his children to Johor.

“They have certain perceptions but I assured them that I am familiar with Malaysia, having done business here for many years.

“They also felt that I was being wasteful as Singaporean citizens enjoy education at a minimal fee back home whereas I am paying thousands of ringgit each term at my son’s current school here.

“When my daughter starts her tertiary studies soon, I will be paying tens of thousands of ringgit, too. However, I think this is a small price to pay to have my children by my side where I can watch them grow,” he added.

His son, said Chan, has been enjoying his current school, where he has made friends of various nationalities.

The teen, he said, also seemed more relaxed studying in Johor as he is able to leave his books at his personal locker in school instead of lugging a heavy school bag around.

Chan also feels he is not like the typical parents who place academic pressure on their children.

“For me, the skills, experience and character building are more important to equip children for the real world ahead and I believe my son is able to benefit from studying in Johor,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/29/s039poreans-are-increasingly-choosing-johor039s-schools