Education in the Market Place

Worldwide, international schools have been a neglected focus for research. This is partly because in most countries they serve minority groups and are separate from the mainstream. In Hong Kong, however, international schools form a sizeable sector of growing importance. Most of Hong Kong international schools serve local residents as well as foreign nationals.

This book presents the first detailed academic study of the sector. It highlights the significance of market forces, and shows how the international schools have responded to changing circumstances. Although Hong Kong is small in area, it hosts a wide diversity of types of international schools. The study thus makes instructive comparisons of systems within the small territory. In the process, the book makes important methodological contributions to the field of comparative education.

Yoko Yamato initially studied in Japan and Singapore, and then graduated from the Med programme in comparative education at the University of Hong Kong. She is a mother of three children, each of whom has studied in different types of international schools in Hong Kong. Her studies of international schools have been recognised as pathbreaking contributions to the field.