New Delhi: There is good news for those seeking higher education in good schools, but cannot afford to go abroad.
Some top UK independent schools, including Harrow, plan to license their institutions in India and elsewhere.
The Harrow school is considering licensing five schools in India, China and other South East Asian countries to fund up to 200 free and subsidised places at its school here.
The move coincides with government threats to withdraw charitable status from independent schools, worth a total of £100 million a year, unless they can demonstrate "public benefit".
According to a report in PTI, Wellington college, Dulwich college and Oxford high school for girls are among the other independents planning to cash in on the high reputation of British private education to open chains of franchises.
There are already Harrow International offshoots in Thailand and China. Barnaby Lenon, the head master is reluctant to give details of predicted earnings but he would need to generate about £ 5 million a year to fund 200 free places.
Annual fees at the school are £ 24,825. The school has also opened a £60 million pounds appeal to subsidise places says the PTI report.
"We would only do it if it were advantageous for Harrow UK," Lenon was quoted by The Sunday Times as saying.
"There is a risk that you can fall out with the owner because we do not own the schools. Things can and do go wrong... The risk is to the name," he was further quoted as saying.
He said that Harrow's main motive was to broaden the social mix of its intake because "We do not believe there is a big enough supply of very able pupils among the wealthiest families in Britain. Secondly, we do not like the idea of Harrow being a very exclusive school."
Oxford high school, a girls' school, is opening two offshoots in Shanghai, with Chinese partners, by 2009. One will teach the Chinese curriculum to Chinese pupils, the other will be an international school.
Harrow School, is an independent school for boys, located in Harrow on the Hill in the London Borough of Harrow. It was founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Elizabeth I of England to John Lyon, a local yeoman, for the provision of education to local boys
It is one of the original nine English public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868 and is characterised by excellent exam results and a commitment to education outside the classroom. It is widely known for its close competition with Eton College and many other schools.
Harrow currently has approximately 800 pupils spread across 11 houses, all of whom board full-time at a cost of £23,625 per year.
Harrow has a large number of well known alumni, including seven former British Prime Ministers (most notably Winston Churchill), and the first Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
(With inputs from PTI)
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