经济学人491:国际学校 飞入寻常土豪家

 　　International schools

　　国际学校

　　The new local

　　地方化趋势

　　English-language schools once aimed at expatriates now cater¹ to domestic elites³

　　英语学校，旧时外侨堂前燕，飞入寻常土豪家

　　IN 1979, when Ken⁴ Ross was eight, his family moved from Scotland to France for his father's job with IBM. The computer firm paid the fees at the English School of Paris, where his classmates were mostly children of expats from Britain and elsewhere: managers, army officers, diplomats⁵ and the like. A couple were Saudi princes. For the most recent class reunion, old boys and girls flew in from as far afield as China and South Africa.

　　1979年，那时候Ken Ross年8岁，因为父亲在IBM上班，他的家从苏格兰搬到法国。IBM支付了他在巴黎上英文学校的学费。在那里，他的同学大都从英国和其他地方来的移民的孩子：经理的、军官的、外交官等的孩子。其中一对夫妇是还是沙特王子。为了参加最近的一次班级聚会，已经成年的男孩子、女孩子要从中国和沙特这样远的地方飞过来。

　　地方化趋势.jpg

　　Since then, there has been a boom in such “international schools”, which teach in English in non-Anglophone countries, mostly offering British A-levels, American APs and SATs, or the International Baccalaureate. During the past quarter-century, according to the International School Consultancy Group (ISC), based in Britain, their number has grown from under 1,000 to more than 7,300. In the 2013-14 academic year they generated $41.6 billion in revenue and taught 3.75m pupils globally (see chart). Twenty-two countries have more than 100 international schools, headed by the UAE, with 478, and China, with 445.

　　从他那个时代开始，许多这样的“国际学校”冒了出来，这些学校在非英语国家用英文教学，大都提供英国高考、美国预科及高考服务或颁发国际文凭。在过去的25年里，根据在总部设在英国的国际学校咨询集团（ISC）的统计，这些学校的数量已经从不到1000所增长到超过7300所。在2013-14学年，它们在全球创造了416亿美元的收益，培养了375万学生（见图表）。有22个国家拥有的国际学校数量超过100所，阿联酋以478所独占鳌头，中国则紧随其后，有445所。

　　But nowadays international schools increasingly belie⁶ their name. Though their clientele varies from place to place, four-fifths of the pupils they teach around the world are locals, the ISC calculates. Thirty years ago, just a fifth were. The main reason is increased demand for schooling⁷ mostly or entirely⁸ in English, both in rich countries (Mr Ross's alma mater now has a large French contingent), and even more from rich parents in developing countries who want their children to be able to go to university in Britain or North America. “When people make money, they want their children to learn English,” says Nicholas Brummitt of the ISC. “When they make some more money, they want them to learn in English.”

　　可是，如今的国际学校却越来越名不副实。据ISC的计算，尽管各个地方客户的情况有所不同，但全世界在国际学校上课学生中4/5是本地人。而30年前，这个比例仅仅是1/5。这里的主要原因是对以英语为主或全英语教学的需求增加了。在富裕国家如此（Ross的母校现在就有一大票法国学生）；甚至是在发展中国家的富裕家庭也是如此，这些父母希望子女有机会在英国或北美上大学。“人们挣钱了，就希望孩子学习英语，”ISC的Nicholas Brummitt如是说：“挣的钱越多，越希望孩子用英语学习”

　　This new elite² can outspend even very highly paid foreign managers—and multinationals⁹ trying to cut costs are ever less willing to pay school fees. Locals are more appealing clients, too: their children tend to stay for their entire schooling, unlike “expat brats”, who are always moving on, leaving seats to be filled. And a parent-teacher association packed with the local elite is more help with bolshie bureaucrats¹⁰ than one full of foreigners.

　　本国精英阶层愿意甩出比高官厚禄的外籍经理人更多的真金白银—并且那些跨国公司正在想法缩减开支而不愿支付教育费用。这样，本土精英就变得炙手可热了：他们的孩子更愿意留在国内完成完整的学校教育，不愿像“小老外”那样总是颠沛流离，最后人走茶凉。另外对于古板的官老爷们来说，家长座谈会上土豪们群英荟萃可比塞了一屋子老外强多了。

　　Further growth is on the cards. In another decade, the ISC predicts, there will be 14,400 international schools worldwide, teaching 8.9m pupils. Many will be run by local or regional firms who spy an opportunity (two-thirds of international schools are now run for profit, up from almost none 30 years ago). But ISC's market research suggests that quite a few British “public” (ie, private) schools plan to set up foreign outposts; some already have, including Harrow, Marlborough, Wellington College and Dulwich College, the last of which opened its seventh overseas arm in Singapore in August. Most are franchise¹¹ arrangements (though Marlborough's Malaysian branch is directly managed). For-profit global chains such as Nord Anglia Education, Cognita and GEMS¹² are also planning new schools.

　　国际学校还可能会进一步增长。ISC预测,10年后全球将拥有14400所国际学校，在校学生890万人。许多学校将由那些一直跃跃欲试的本土或本地公司运营。（如今2/3的国际学校以盈利为目的，而30年前几乎没有。）但是ISC的市场调研认为，相当一部分英国“公立”（说白了是私立）学校计划在国外建立前哨站；一些学校已经暗渡陈仓，包括哈罗公学、马尔伯勒中学、威灵顿公学、达利奇学院等，其中达利奇学院光8月就在新加坡开设了7个海外分支机构。这些机构大多数是授权当地经营（虽然马尔伯勒的马来西亚公司是直营）。此外，诺德安达教育机构 、COGNITA机构和巴乐基教育机构也都在规划新学校。

　　The biggest growth is forecast in the Middle East and East Asia. But which countries prove the most rewarding for investors¹³ depends partly on governments. Some countries make it hard for those who have been schooled outside the national system to get into university, meaning international-school customers risk closing off their children's future options. Chinese pupils without a foreign passport are barred from international schools. Singaporean citizens require government permission to attend international schools, rarely granted unless they have lived abroad. In South Korea a maximum of 30% of an international school's pupils can be locals.

　　中东和东亚预计增长最快。但到底哪些国家将为投资者带来最大利润，一定程度上要取决于政府。一些国家使得那些在本国教育系统之外的学生很难进入大学，这意味着国际学校的客户冒着孩子们未来选择的权利的被剥夺的风险。例如：中国学生没有国外护照则不能进入国际学校就读；新加坡公民申请政府许可就读国际学校很少成功，除非申请人旅居海外。而在韩国，最多有30%的国际学校学生是本国人。

　　Malaysia's experience shows what would happen if any of these were to relax their rules. In 2012 it removed a 40% cap on the share of international schools' pupils allowed to be locals, partly to encourage the expansion of a sector¹⁴ seen as important in attracting foreign investment and partly to please parents who were becoming ever less willing to send their children to boarding schools overseas. In just two years the number of locals at the country's international schools has risen by a third, and Malaysians now account for more than half their pupils.

　　马来西亚的经验足以说明，如果这些国家放松规则会发生什么。2012年，马来西亚取消了对于当地人占国际学校学生人数比例40%的上限，一方面鼓励学校的扩张被看作了吸引外资的重要手段，应一方面也为了取悦那些越来越不愿意送孩子们去海外寄宿学校的家长。在短短两年中，在该国国际学校的本国人的数量增加了1/3，如今马来西亚人超过学生总数的一半。

　　China-watchers are always alert to any hint of liberalisation. The country has 2.5m dollar millionaires, many of whom would pounce¹⁵ at an international schooling for their offspring if they were allowed to. Since 2001 foreign groups and individuals have been allowed to own schools in partnership¹⁶ with Chinese ones, and since 2003 schools can be run for profit—but only authorised international schools can follow a foreign curriculum. The government fears losing control over what children are taught. Officials also argue that without strict rules Chinese parents could be gulled¹⁷ by greedy foreigners.

　　中国的观察家们总是对自由化思潮防微杜渐。该国拥有250万个百万富翁（美元），如果条件允许，其中许多人愿意为其下一代博取一个国际学校的功名。自从2001年以来，外国组织和个人已被允许和中方联合办学，而从2003年开始，这些学校获得盈利许可，但只有经过授权的国际学校才能引入国外课程。政府担心对孩子们的教学内容中失去控制权。此外当局还坚称，如果没有严格的规定，中国的家长们会被贪心的老外坑一把。

　　One way to profit in China despite the restrictions¹⁸ is to offer English-language international programmes in Chinese schools. Dipont Education, a Chinese-owned firm that grew out of an Australian one that helped Chinese students arrange foreign study trips and apply for visas, now runs centres in 27 Chinese schools in 17 cities. These teach A-levels, AP courses and the International Baccalaureate to 6,000 15- to 18-year-olds.

　　虽有限制，但在中国的盈利方式之一是在中国学校提供英语国际课程。狄邦教育是一家源于澳洲的中国公司，他们帮助中国学生安排国外留学行程并申请签证，如今该公司在17个中国城市中经营着27个学校服务中心。她们为6000个15到18岁的孩子提供英国高中，美国预科和美国大学课程。

　　A natural next step, says Vanessa Cumbers, Dipont's director of recruitment, would be for the firm to start training Chinese teachers in foreign teaching methods. “Like anything in China, it's about localising,” she says. That prescription¹⁹ may make for less diverse class reunions, but it is ensuring the rude health of international schools everywhere.

　　自然而然，狄邦教育的招生主管Vanessa Cumbers说：对于公司而言，必然要开始用国外教育模式培养中国教师。“像中国其他任何领域一样，都要本土化，”她说。本土化也许会让未来的班级聚会失色不少，但能确保各地的国际学校的健康发展。

1 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

2 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

3 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

4 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 belie   

v.掩饰，证明为假

参考例句：

• The gentle lower slopes belie the true nature of the mountain.低缓的山坡掩盖了这座山的真实特点。
• His clothes belie his station.他的衣服掩饰了他的身分。

7 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

9 multinationals   

跨国公司( multinational的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。
• Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。

10 bureaucrats   

n.官僚( bureaucrat的名词复数 )；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言

参考例句：

• That is the fate of the bureaucrats, not the inspiration of statesmen. 那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。 来自辞典例句
• Big business and dozens of anonymous bureaucrats have as much power as Japan's top elected leaders. 大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。 来自辞典例句

11 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

12 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

13 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

14 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

15 pounce   

n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意

参考例句：

• Why do you pounce on every single thing I say?干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦？
• We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat.我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。

16 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

17 gulled   

v.欺骗某人( gull的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Such promises, said Apacides sullenly, are the tricks by which man is ever gulled. 阿帕奥得斯板着脸说：这种诺言是骗人的诡计。 来自辞典例句
• The man gulled the traveler out of every penny he had with him. 那人把那游客骗得身无分文。 来自辞典例句

18 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

19 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。