Opening doors to private education

Gamuda Land teams up with Taylor’s Education Group to offer quality private education in its townships

As the private education sector in Malaysia grows, many parents are on the hunt for good schools.

Quality education, affordability, proximity to reputable schools and access to facilities that support a well-rounded learning experience, are high on their checklist.

Recognising these needs, Gamuda Land and Taylor’s Education Group (TEG) are partnering to offer a unique educational model that makes private primary and secondary education more affordable and accessible to families and wider communities at Gamuda townships, starting with Gamuda Gardens and Gamuda Cove in Selangor.

In this joint effort, Gamuda Land will provide strategic location advantages for the school with purpose-built infrastructure and a wide range of sporting facilities and amenities.

Taylor’s Education Group will provide the teaching faculty, made up of experienced local teachers.

The group brings more than 50 years of educational experience in Malaysia with a proven track record in curriculum development and teacher training, with a focus on technology integration and academic outcomes.

The schools will operate under a new brand name to recognise the appeal to this new demographic, which represents the companies’ joint commitment to delivering quality education in a new format.

Affordable and accessible private education

Pending regulatory approvals, the first school under this collaboration will be located in Gamuda Gardens, with plans for further expansion in other Gamuda townships across the Klang Valley and regionally in Vietnam.

“The strategic location of these schools within our townships creates a convenient option for families,” said Gamuda Land strategic operations chief operating officer Jess Teng Poh Fern.

“With a projected population of over 50,000 residents each at Gamuda Gardens and Gamuda Cove by 2035, we are building self-sustaining communities where affordable private education and facilities are right at their doorstep.”

The school will emphasise a balanced approach to academics, sports, arts and character development.

Parents have broadly indicated that academic quality, affordability, facilities, location and accessibility are important criteria for their preferences when selecting a school.

Particularly, they stressed the importance of accessibility, student engagement and the quality of teachers.

Innovative shared facilities model

A competitive pricing structure for the private school fees will be made known closer to the launch. This is made possible through this innovative shared facilities model between Gamuda Land and TEG.

“By providing TEG with land and access to premier facilities via the townships’ dedicated clubhouse facilities or future campuses, Gamuda Land alleviates significant infrastructure development costs that other schools normally solely fund,” said Teng.

This allows Taylor’s to offer more competitive pricing, reducing a major barrier for parents seeking private education without straining family budgets.

“Many parents see good education as an investment.

“We are bringing private education to a broader market at good value, allowing more families to invest in their children’s future and giving them the tools to succeed in a rapidly evolving world,” said TEG chairman Datuk Loy Teik Ngan.

The students will have access to Gamuda Gardens’ extensive community and wellness facilities, such as football fields, an Olympic-length swimming pool and eight badminton courts, providing ample outlets for sports and recreation.

In addition, students can enjoy green spaces and be close to nature in the 328ha township’s hills, lakes, parks and Adventure Playland, as well as partake in vibrant, community activities for an enriching environment extending beyond the classroom.

“Our schools will focus on cultivating lifelong learners, instilling a sense of community responsibility and equipping students with the critical thinking skills necessary for tomorrow’s challenges,” said Loy.

Gamuda Land’s gated and guarded communities also provide a safe environment for students to freely explore their surroundings.

Positive socio-economic impact

Both groups will work closely with parents, local stakeholders and the wider community to ensure that the schools reflect the aspirations of the families they serve.

“This collaboration is a natural extension of our mission to build sustainable, vibrant communities.

“By integrating affordable, private education into our townships, we are enhancing the living experience of our residents and the surrounding communities,” said Teng.

Gamuda is no stranger to educational programmes, having established various programmes on industry and individual levels. Its Gamuda AI Academy, Next-Generation Digital IBS TVET programme and BIM Academy seek to drive technology and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, while its Tunnelling Training Academy (TTA) in Malaysia and Tunnelling Infrastructure Academy (TIA) in Australia focus on technical expertise development.

The Gamuda Scholarship has also brought transformative change to the lives of 763 students, especially from B40 families and indigenous communities.

The private education sector contributes 0.8% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), a constant figure over the last decade.

In 2023, it contributed RM12.27bil – the same amount as private healthcare services in the same year.

Overall, Malaysia is growing in popularity as Asia’s private education destination.

The sector’s growth supplements the national education system and addresses talent demands, while providing job opportunities, as well as attracting investments and skilled talent.