By Colton Eva
Thinking of becoming an expat? It can be a great boost to your career to work overseas, not to mention an exciting adventure, but what if you have children? The good news is, lots of expats have children and manage to help them integrate into a new country successfully. The main thing that you need to consider is their education. So, what are the options for educating your child overseas, and which one is best for you?
International schools give an international education
One concern that many parents have about educating their child overseas is that they may not get the same high-quality education in their destination country. Also, they may not achieve qualifications that’ll be recognised in your home country. That’s why international schools can be an excellent option. Sending your child to a Thai American international school for example, means the curriculum will be almost exclusively in English, and similar to what they’d study at home. When they graduate, they’ll have internationally recognised qualifications that they can use to apply to university in most countries.
Home-schooling may be an option
As with your home country, home-schooling can sometimes be an option for expats. However, there can be a few disadvantages to pursuing this overseas:
- It’s not always legal, some countries such as Spain have outlawed home-schooling. Children have to be enrolled in a local, private, or international school
- You will need to work with your child on their schooling by day – not ideal when you have your own job
- Your child might feel a little isolated due to being in another country, and it can be hard to make friends without being in school
- There are no extracurriculars
If you feel you can handle home-schooling, there are certainly plenty of options, and some of them can offer an excellent education.
Local schools can sometimes work for your child
Local schools shouldn’t be completely ruled out, especially if your child speaks the local language. However, the educational standards vary a lot, and usually can’t be compared to western countries. You should do your research before you enrol your child in a local school.
It’s always tough choosing the right school for your child, and even harder if you’re planning to move overseas. Do your research and decide what will work best for them. Some children thrive in an international school, while others prefer home-schooling remotely, it all depends on their personality and the way that they learn.
