An English class at APAX English Center
Booming
Currently, some centers staffed by 100% foreign teachers such as AMA, EUC, Viet My (Vienam America), Phoenix, AMES, EFIC, E4E, Jellyfish Education, Pingo English School, HueMaster are reducing their tuition fees to attract kid learners.
As APAX English Center recently opened on Ly Thuong Kiet street, I took my two children, one is 5 years old and the other is in the seventh grade, to the center for learning. The children were tested for skills by foreign teachers and placed in classes according to their levels. The evaluation results were announced in just a dozen of minutes. Then, many other parents and I were invited to a hall where we were informed about the teaching methods, good English learning experience, tuition fees, and the promotion policies on the opening occasion.
At Pingo English School, promotion policies have also been implemented with preferential tuition fees for kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils. In addition to the tuition discounts, the center also gives learners gifts such as backpacks, school bags, etc.
At this time, not only English language centers are developing well, but some kindergartens and primary schools in Hue city are also implementing foreign language programs taught by foreign teachers. At Au Lac kindergarten, kids can enroll in full-day classes co-taught by a foreign teacher and a Vietnamese teacher (bilingual classes), with higher tuition fee. They can also enroll in classes taught by foreign teachers only twice a week, the tuition fee is VND 200,000/pupil/month. Vinh Ninh primary school also invites foreign teachers as visiting teachers.
Huge demand
In English centers taught by foreign teachers, although tuition fees are not cheap at all, the number of pupils enrolling is huge. At APAX English Center, the number of learners reaches several dozens; on average, the discounted tuition fee for pupils from 4 to 6 years old, is still at VND 8.2 million/pupil/3 months; the tuition fee for primary and junior high school pupils is at VND 9 million/pupil/4.5 months; at Pingo English School, the tuition fee for pupils aged between 5 and 10 is at VND 4.2 million/pupil/6 months.
Ms. Hien, a study guidance advisor at APAX English Center said: “Parents want their children to learn English up to international standards, with foreign teachers directly teaching. No matter how high the tuition fees are, they still want to send their children to these centers. Therefore, our center has opened its branch in Hue; though it comes later than other centers, the number of students coming to enroll is very large. Here, young learners from 4 to 6 years old will be placed to learning and playing classes, they are taught by foreign teachers in skills of speaking, listening, painting, doing jigsaw puzzles, with the assistance of Vietnamese tutors. Older students are classified according to their levels to directly learn and practice their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.”
According to many parents, if their children learn foreign languages from an early age, they may be qualified to apply for foreign scholarships when going to high school. If they only learn foreign languages at school, it might be difficult to become excellent, as the schools mainly teach grammar, and less focus on listening and speaking skills. Thus, although it is expensive to have their children study English at centers staffed by 100% foreign teachers, parents still opt for these centers.
Story and photo: Gia Han