KinderWorld raises the bar in Vietnam - Singaporean relationship

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Ricky Tan at the official grand opening of KinderWorld International Kindergarten
in Ho Chi Minh City in 2000

KinderWorld was first established in Singapore in 1986 as an early childhood education provider. In the year 2000, the co-founder of KinderWorld, Ricky Tan, expanded the business by officially opening the first KinderWorld International Kindergarten in Hanoi. In the same year, Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore at that time, attended the launch ceremony for a second campus in Ho Chi Minh City.

Diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Singapore over the last forty-three years, have continuously improved. The Strategic Partnership Agreement, the ASEAN Economic Community and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreements have all opened new avenues of co-operation in various areas between both countries, one of which is education. These agreements have encouraged KinderWorld Education Group to expand its business from Pre-School to Higher Education resulting in the establishment of Pegasus International College and the soon-to-be-opened Outward Bound Vietnam.

Education curriculum at KinderWorld schools system

Singapore’s education excellence has been proven by its top ranking in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test. PISA assesses 15-year-old students on key areas such as reading, mathematics, science and problem-solving skills. PISA results ranked Singapore in the top five highest-performing countries and economies in reading, science, and the top two performers in mathematics.

The latest report from the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published in May 2015, showed that Singapore took the top place in mathematics and science whereas the United Kingdom and United States were ranked 20th and 28th respectively.

KinderWorld operates sixteen campuses under the brand names of Singapore International School (SIS), KinderWorld International Kindergarten (KIK), Singapore Vietnam International School (SVIS), Pegasus International College (PIC) in Vietnam, and Pegasus International School (PIS) in Malaysia. The campuses provide international and integrated education for students from Pre-Nursery to University Foundation Programmes, as well as Higher and Continuing Education throughout Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Nha Trang) and in Malaysia (Johor).

Singapore International Schools in Vietnam offer an international educational programme that is a combination of the Singapore curriculum on criteria set out by the Ministry of Education in Singapore and the Cambridge curriculum from United Kingdom. The KinderWorld Group of Schools provide a high quality and holistic education programme for students to gain admission into universities across the world.

KinderWorld staff attending training at Outward Bound Singapore in March 2015

Singapore education commitments

In ensuring the best outcome for students, Singapore International School is committed to continuously ensuring the quality of education programmes through international quality assurance and accreditation benchmark standards. Primary students are encouraged to take iPSLE (Singapore international Primary School Examination) at the end of the primary level. Secondary students take the Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) in the final year of secondary school. Students may choose to take the Cambridge International A-Level, a two-year course of study which prepares students for universities across the world, or the GAC (Global Assessment Certificate) University Foundation Programme which includes preparation for the American College Test as well as providing access to universities worldwide.

Furthermore, to provide quality education beyond high-school, Pegasus International College was established to offer Vietnamese students ASEAN and International qualifications in Hospitality, Tourism and the Culinary Arts, Business and Commerce, and English Language courses.

Courses at Pegasus International College are conducted in a simulated training environment using a competency-based approach. Students in hospitality courses will receive hands-on training in our Training Kitchens, Beverage Training Centre, Coffee Academy, Hotel & Front Desk Training Room, and Training Restaurant. Classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment used in international hotels and restaurants. Within its campus, Pegasus International College has a training restaurant – “The Bistro” – which is open to the public, and serves as a training ground for a career within this industry. This ensures that students graduate from Pegasus with employability skills suited to industry standards.

Pegasus offers 3-tiered qualifications which are aligned to national requirements like the Vietnam Tourism Occupational Skills Standards (VTOS) and the Malaysia Qualifications Framework (MQF), the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC), and the transnational Australia Qualification Framework (AQF) which articulates into undergraduate programmes.

Through an agreement between Pegasus International College and Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) in the United Kingdom, upon completion of the two-years Advanced Diploma at Pegasus, students can articulate into the third year of the Bachelor of Business (Hospitality and Tourism Management) at Edinburgh Napier University and receive an international Bachelor’s degree within 3 years.

Pegasus has also entered into an agreement with Northern Sydney Institute, TAFE New South Wales, Australia, to provide our students with articulation pathways and dual badging qualifications. The Northern Sydney Institute intends to establish a branch campus in Vietnam and other ASEAN countries.

Following the grand opening of Pegasus International College in Danang on May 22, 2015, the group aims to complete its “through-train” educational programmes by establishing Pegasus International University to develop knowledge and skills from a global perspective and foster globally competent graduates.

Unique outdoor education concept

As part of KinderWorld’s complete approach to education, the development of Outward Bound Vietnam was initiated to inspire and appreciate social, cultural, and community differences. Outward Bound Vietnam, to be developed in Vinh Phuc, Thanh Hoa, Danang, Quy Nhon, and Phu Quoc, introduces a unique programme which fosters interpersonal, leadership, and survival skills while instilling a sense of social/environmental responsibility through unique outdoor activities and adventure-based experiential learning. Participants will be encouraged to go beyond their perceived limitations, face challenges, cement friendships, have fun, and develop a strong sense of self.

Outward Bound Vietnam have formed a collaborative partnership with Outward Bound Singapore to share knowledge, expertise and to facilitate the exchange of students between the two schools.

In October 2014, the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee awarded KinderWorld with an investment certificate for its Outward Bound Vietnam and Ecotourism development on a 24.87ha landsite at Dong Cau lake, Binh Xuyen district, Vinh Phuc province.

In July 2015, the Binh Dinh People’s Committee awarded KinderWorld with an investment certificate for the establishment of Outward Bound Vietnam and Ecotourism development on a 60.3ha landsite in Quy Nhon city.

“We believe that human capital is the most valuable asset in a country or company. This is reflected in our commitment in providing high quality international education programmes, articulation pathways and dual badging qualifications for our students. As a long-term investor in Vietnam, KinderWorld Education Group will continue to contribute to the development of sustainable and quality human capital in Vietnam,” said Tan.

As an educational institution of excellence from kindergarten to university foundation level combining eastern values with an international education to produce global citizens, KinderWorld is a firm bridge strengthening the close relationship between Vietnam and Singapore.