American private school opens English education enclave

A U.S. private school opened in an English educational enclave on South Korea's largest island of Jeju on Monday, bringing to four the number of international schools set up on the island.

Saint Johnsbury Academy Jeju, which will hold a ceremony at its compound in the city of Seogwipo on the resort island on Nov. 3 to mark its launch, takes its curriculum from the main school, Saint Johnsbury Academy in the U.S. state of Vermont.

At full capacity, St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju can teach 1,254 students in 68 classes from preschool to grade 12. For the fall semester of 2017, about 440 students from preschool to grade 10 are enrolled.

Founded in 1842, the home school, St. Johnsbury Academy, is a 175-year-old independent school with a high school program for grades 9 through 12.

In the "Jeju English educational town" being created in the South Korean city, there are three international schools -- Korea International School, North London Collegiate School Jeju and Branksome Hall Asia.

Jeju was declared a "special self-governing province" in 2006 with autonomous rights in administration, education, taxation, finance and business, a prerequisite to becoming an international free city modeled after Hong Kong and Singapore.

Source : Yonhap