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School aged children on Phu Quoc

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fisheralisonm

My husband has a job opportunity in Phu Quoc. We have 3 children ages 8,6 and 4. British but spent a lot of time in Singapore. Are there any international schools on the island? Language aside, are there local schools which might be an option? Is there a homeschooling community? Thanks!

THIGV

Aiden can probably answer this better than others here but just keep these numbers in mind.   The population of the island is a little less than 180,00.   If 5% were expatriates and 5% of those were expats with school aged children (both speculative way on the high side,) that means less than 450 expats with children.   That doesn't sound to me to be a good number on which to base a for-profit school.   Children who are not citizens of Vietnam may not attend public schools.

Aidan in HCMC

    Aiden can probably answer this better than others here but just keep these numbers in mind.   The population of the island is a little less than 180,00.   If 5% were expatriates and 5% of those were expats with school aged children (both speculative way on the high side,) that means less than 450 expats with children.   That doesn't sound to me to be a good number on which to base a for-profit school.   Children who are not citizens of Vietnam may not attend public schools.
   
    -@THIGV

Fine summation of what I had been thinking, THIGV.

    My husband has a job opportunity in Phu Quoc. We have 3 children ages 8,6 and 4. British but spent a lot of time in Singapore. Are there any international schools on the island? Language aside, are there local schools which might be an option? Is there a homeschooling community? Thanks!           -@fisheralisonm

Hello fisheralisonm. I was hoping to be able to give you an answer to your question prior to welcoming you to the forum, but unfortunately I've not heard back from the expat couple I've reached out to, yet. I'll be sure to post back here once I do. I'm hoping to hear back from them this morning.

I have a couple of questions, if I may.


Are you able to tell us where on Phu Quoc Island your husband's job opportunity might be? Although now incorporated as a "city", (and all kidding aside) Phu Quoc remains Vietnam's largest island. Living in Duong Dong (former "capital" of the island,central west side of island) while working near An Thoi (southernmost tip) would be a tiresome routine to maintain. Similarly, travelling north to the Vinmec Medical Centre daily would be a slog, motorbike/truck traffic considered.


Does your husbands potential employer offer any sort of education cost(s) allowance? I ask only because the int'l schools in VN can be quite expensive, especially when allowing for the tuition of 3 students. As member THIGV  noted, enrolment of your children in the public education system is not an option.


Okay, fisheralisonm, nice to have you with us. I'll post back shortly.

Aidan in HCMC

@fisheralisonm

Well, the expat couple I was trying to reach have left Vietnam a couple of months back.

So, I asked my GF to speak to a Vietnamese friend of ours who teaches at a local public school.


She told us that there is a new school scheduled to open sometime around August up near the Vinmec Medical Centre which will offer kindergarten to gr.8 classes in both English and Vietnamese.


The Bad news? The students must have, at the very least, a rudimentary understanding of and ability to converse in Vietnamese. It is a school which will focus on recruiting the children of Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) and/or the children of "mixed marriages".


There are no international (read; private) schools currently on P.Q. island.

I've no idea about homeschooling groups, sorry.

fisheralisonm

@Aidan in HCMC thank you so much for your response - really helpful. My husband would be working at Aquatopia off the southern tip and I guess I would be homeschooling the children - lots to think about!

fisheralisonm

@THIGV thank you!

THIGV

I am guessing that from the southern tip to the Vinmec Medical Center is a tough haul but I wouldn't wory about the need for the children to speak Vietnamese to attend.   Within a year of play with the local kids they will be tutoring you in the language.

Aidan in HCMC

@THIGV

It (Aquatopia) is even more south from Vinmec than the southernmost tip of Phu Quoc island.

In fact, it's on a different island off the south coast of Phu Quoc island, on . (Link Google English search results). .


The island is accessible by way of cable car from next to An Thoi. (Link to older thread, with pics. Scroll down)

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