Dubai, UAE; October 18, 2006: Emaar Education, the education arm of Emaar Properties, has received in-principle approval from the Singapore Ministry of Education to open its first international school in the country in January 2007.
Raffles Campus, the Singapore-based premier education provider that was recently acquired by Emaar, will provide educational expertise to E R International School (ERIS).
“Emaar’s education initiatives are in line with the company’s Vision 2010 of becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world,” said Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties. “The opening of our first international school in Singapore also marks our expansion into the Asian market.”
Located next to the Pandan Valley Condominium, the 44,085 sq m campus will offer international curricula including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, American High School Diploma, the Cambridge University’s International General Certificate of Education Advanced Level and the International General Certificate in Secondary Education. Initially open to students from grades 5 to 9 and 11, the school will also have a kindergarten section. Registration starts on November 10, 2006.
With a student intake of up to 1,500, ERIS has air-conditioned classrooms and subject-specific laboratories, and a range of sporting and recreational facilities. Mr Donald Hooper, an educationalist with international experience, will head the school.
“The concept of integrated campus – a highlight of Raffles Campus network – is aimed at the all-rounded development of students from nursery to tertiary levels, with a balanced focus on academic courses, personality development, sports and cultural activities,” said Mr Boon Yew Ng, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Education.
“This will enable our students to be mobile and adapt easily, should they relocate to countries within our global campus network. The multicultural, multi-campus environment of the Raffles Campus network also offers students from anywhere in the world the option and flexibility of Raffles Campus ‘Student Immersion Exchange’ programs,” he added.
Already on an international expansion path through the creation of master-planned communities in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt, India and Pakistan, Emaar will build its educational institution portfolio by opening international schools that meet the strong demand of residents within its projects, as well as the general public in the region, for world-class education.
