Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd have signed a deal with Education Index Management to design, build and operate a premium international school at the firm’s Thanlyin Star City development area.
The opening of the school, British College Yangon, is planned for the 2016-17 academic year and will provide a British curriculum enhanced for Myanmar and foreign students from two to 18 years of age, the Singapore-listed company said.
Serge Pun, executive chairman of Yoma Strategic, said his company is aiming to fill the gap of international education in Myanmar for expat residents.
“The international school is essential to the master planning of Star City and will serve as a focal point for developing international community of residents in Star City upon completion,” he said.
Christian Guertler, CEO of EIM, said, “Good schools are the essential, soft infrastructure that helps attract international companies and their executives to rapidly growing and new economies such as Myanmar’s.”
Yoma will develop the school buildings and facilities which will be leased to the school. Academic and operational management of the school will be overseen by EIM’s subsidiary Dulwich College International with Dulwich College in London supporting as educational adviser.
Fraser White, founder and executive chairman of EIM, said the British College Yangon campus facilities will offer good prospects for the Myanmar and foreign students who will use them.
The school buildings and facilities will provide a fully-equipped and purpose built campus to maintain international educational standards, with state-of-the-art classrooms, a performing arts centre, swimming pool, gymnasiums and sporting grounds.
Yoma said the total development cost for the international school excluding the cost of the land development rights is expected to be approximately $40 million on completion, subject to finalisation of design and quantity surveys. The campus is located on 8.3 hectares of land within Star City.
The school has received the required construction approvals from the authorities and construction has already begun on the school, the company said.
Yoma said the campus facilities will be made available to Star City’s residents during out-of-school hours. British College Yangon will also develop activity and training programmes for the local community, it added.
Daryl Orchard, founding headmaster, British College Yangon, said, “The facilities and curriculum will provide us with an opportunity to create a vibrant school for our students, whilst contributing to the local community.”
EIM is the principal investor behind the establishment of the seven Dulwich Colleges in Asia, which are managed by Dulwich College Management International. Dulwich College was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, renowned Elizabethan and Jacobean actor.
