Iain Riley

I interviewed Iain Riley, a school director and principal in China, about the education sector in China, the Chinese response to the coronavirus, and mistaken European assumptions about Chinese society.

First of all, can you briefly explain your role in the education sector?

I am very fortunate of having multiple roles across my company and also with the IB. I am currently the Head of School for a very large IB school and also the General Principal for 7 Kindergartens and the Director of IB for the company. I also hold the post of workshop facilitator with the International Baccalaureate and Visiting Team Member with the Middle States Schools Association for the American High School Diploma. Finally, I am also a consultant for a famous UK boarding school that is owned by a Hong Kongneese and is expanding into the Chinese market.

In your experience (having taught in Scotland and worked in China) what can the UK primary education sector learn from China?

Adaptability. The Second Educational Reform Act in China was introduced a number of years ago which changed the face of education. China looked at the leading countries across the world using the PISA results and external organisations including the IBO to create a hybrid curriculum that is creating individuals for the rigour of the 21st Century and the changes in the job market. China also has an ageing population so again something needed to be done quickly to create the ever changing workforce of the future.

How would you explain Chinese success at managing the virus, beyond the simple Western answer of ‘fewer liberties in general’?

China was smart. They locked down the whole country and had support infrastructure in place in 48 hours. Everyone followed the rules as the Chinese government was clear on how serious this could be. The UK would not be going through such a hard time with the second wave if they had followed some of the rules from China - for example hotel quarantine is coming in a year after that of China. The smartest move was closing their borders to lower cases and stop the spread.

A lot of Chinese parents continue to value UK universities - do you think this will still be the case a decade from now? Will China emerge as the global standard for higher education?

China is not really known for its universities presently. However certain universities such as Fudan and East China Normal University are changing this. Parents are wanting a more internationalised education system so in many respects the UK and the US will never miss out. However with the rise of Chinese education system, we will see in time that less students may apply to the UK.

Do you think the China is politically and culturally misunderstood as a nation from a British perspective?

Yes. China is one of the most diverse countries that I have ever lived and worked in. They are indeed run by a communist government that likes to standardise across the board, however in reality this is not possible. Shanghai for example has its own municipal government and the city along with those of Shenzhen and Guangzhou are extremely internationalised. In terms of culture, you can go 30 minutes in the car and see something completely different. The people from the north certainly live differently to people of the south. They even look different and speak a different dialect.

If you could pick one, what would you say is the biggest challenge facing China as it moves past the pandemic? Feel free to give multiple answers!

Trust in the government. People are still not convinced how the virus started and many of the people still believe that the government did not tell them the truth.

What are your thoughts on British schools launching Chinese operations? Will they stay viable?

In certain cities yes. Fettes and Merchiston both have representation in China. Harrow, St Bees and other English names have a clear presence also. It is interesting to see these schools adapt with the East meets West philosophy.