Bilingual schools begin expansion beyond the major urban centres

After a strong upturn in major urban centres, the bilingual educational institutions target small and mid-sized cities to reduce costs and keep increasing the number of units. "Currently, we have about 106 units. By the end of the year, we should be in 140 schools. Our focus from now are the small and medium-sized cities, which have between 500,000 and 600,000 inhabitants, "said the CEO in Latin America of the Maple Bear school network, Arno Krug.De agreement with the Executive, acting outside of major urban centres have as main aim the meet families in search of bilingual education at a price not too high. "The cost of the smaller towns to start an operation also is lower and, consequently, helps in the process of expansion," says Krug, remembering that in the capitals tuition revolves around R $2800, while the interior gets in an average of 2200. He says that the institution's teaching method is Canadian, but conforms to the curricular basis provided for by the Ministry of education and culture (MEC). "Normally, when a teacher is hired, he goes through a process of adaptation to Canadian teaching method. For two years, this professional works as an Assistant, "says Krug. The Executive mentions that this newly hired faculty member is assessed by Canadian educators who come to Brazil with the specific purpose to check if the methodology is being applied correctly. With about of 25000 students enrolled in the network, the Maple Bear network's CEO claims that more than 80% of students choose to stay in Brazil after completion of high school. However, he said, students who plan to enter in any Canadian or American College can customize the curriculum as preparation for the admission in foreign universities. "We have some electives that allow the student lot part of the grid. However, there are some contents that are fixed, "reports Krug. By the end of this year, predicting growth of 30% in the number of students enrolled in the network. In addition, Krug says in early childhood education teaching is completely performed in English and, as the student is passing to superior series, there is a mixture of contents in English and in Portuguese in the grid. Another example of Canadian school with expansion plans for the next years is the Brazil Canada College. "We realize that in recent years the bilingual education has become more ' democratic ', coming to more remote regions and smaller. Parents who have not had access to this type of teaching now have the desire to provide it for their children, "says partner network of bilingual schools, Sidney Edward Kalaes. He says the network has five units, located in the cities of Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Mogi das Cruzes and American. According to Kalaes, one of the strategies of "rapid expansion" will be through the conversion of flags of existing education institutions, when they start to use the name and method of teaching of School Brazil Canada. The monthly fee of the existing units will the $2000 R $1800 R. "We have created a training program for teachers to learn English in schools converted", says the Executive, noting that the expansion model is cheaper because it leverages the existing structure without the need for construction of new facilities schoolchildren. Units in Santos, Alphaville, São Caetano do Sul and Guarulhos (SP) must be opened this year. For the partner of the bilingual schools Scrabble and Builders, Ana Paula Mustafa, the recent growth of this market is linked to the concern of teachers graduates qualification in a foreign language. "Before, this profile of employee was rare. Nowadays, we see very well prepared professionals and chasing new languages, "she said, recalling the possibility of expanding the brand to Salvador (BA) and Florianópolis (SC).