100 not out

FOBISIA celebrates admitting its 100th school member

John Gwyn Jones, CEO of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) reflects on a significant milestone.

Beginnings

As we celebrate FOBISIA’s remarkable journey and its achievement of reaching 100 Member Schools, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on our rich history and the vision that has brought us here.

FOBISIA began in 1988 as FOBISSEA (Federation of British Schools in South East Asia), a modest information-sharing and discussion group among five international schools in South East Asia offering a British-style curriculum in regions far removed from the “home base.” It’s hard to imagine now that at the time, schools like Tanglin, Alice Smith, the British School, Jakarta and British School Manila were all primary schools and had had little if any contact with each other before the Principal of the British (International) School in Jakarta, Ron Stones, suggested it might be a good idea for Heads to talk to other, share ideas and identify common problems. There was also a strong desire to open up activities for students, especially in the area of sport.

Early growth

By the early 1990s, the group had expanded to 20 Member Schools. During this period, coordinated sports events (now known as The FOBISIA Games) were established, then music festivals, professional development opportunities, and regional meetings, which significantly strengthened the network of British international schools inthe region.

Student numbers were growing, regional and inter-continental travel was becoming easier and there was a trend for expatriate parents to want their British-style education of their children to continue into the secondary years.

And it is true to say that until the early 2000s FOBISIA schools served mainly expatriate children. With the notable exception of Thailand, citizens of host national families were mainly prohibited by local regulations from attending international schools. And then things began to change. Malaysia lifting the restrictions on Malaysian children attending international schools was a significant milestone, while Harrow and Shrewsbury led the way as the first UK-linked British international schools to be established in Asia – both in Bangkok. By the 2010s British international education was also taking off in a big way in China, again with UK partner schools – notably Wellington College and Dulwich College – leading the way.

And these UK linked schools were drawn to FOBISIA, and largely for the same reasons as when the Federation was first established in 1988 – for the opportunities that it offered especially to students, but increasingly to teachers as well.

Structure and reputation

With growth came structure. In the early days, the executive was largely dependent on volunteers, but as numbers had grown, a full-time office was set up, a CEO was appointed, a constitution written and set of procedures formalised which reinforced the ideals of the founders, who had placed a strong emphasis on a shared set of ethics and values. At a time of phenomenal growth in the world of international education in the 2010s, membership of FOBISIA was seen as an important organisation for young schools to join – schools in which parents could have confidence and which stood for a clear set of educational values. Students loved the growing number of events in which they could participate and teachers became increasingly aware of the FOBISIA badge when joining a new school in Asia.

Into the 2020s

The Federation’s growth continued into the 2020s, culminating in today’s achievement when FOBISIA now proudly stands at 100 Member Schools across 19 countries. We have remained true to the vision of the founders by providing membership to British International schools in Asia with the aim to improve education for all by offering professional development, leading student events, and promoting mutual support networks for the betterment of Members.

FOBISIA consists of not just Member schools, but also engages with Affiliate Members, Individual Members, and Friends of FOBISIA, who offer invaluable support to Member Schools.

With over 35 years of shared history, FOBISIA has now evolved into a diverse and inclusive community of British international schools across Asia, supported by educational organisations globally. Reaching 100 Member Schools is a testament to the collective efforts, shared vision, and unwavering commitment of everyone involved in the FOBISIA family. This strong sense of belonging is one of the many reasons FOBISIA continues to thrive and grow, as it advocates for the collective interests of its Member Schools, by representing them at both regional and international levels.

Events now include student conferences, online competitions that span the arts and sports, as well as professional development opportunities such as Job Alike Workshops, webinars, and conferences. These initiatives ensure that the students and educators of FOBISIA schools are continually growing, learning, and excelling in their respective fields in a way that is always evolving.

Perhaps the last word should go to Ronald Stones OBE, whose vision inspired the amazing work of the founding Principals back in 1988, and who is now a lifetime Honorary Member of the Federation.

“I am delighted to learn that the membership of our organisation has now grown to 100.  Who would have thought that our humble beginnings of just five Heads coming together more than thirty years ago could have led to this landmark? To see the organisation grow and go from strength to strength makes me so proud. I wish for its continued success.

Here’s to the next chapter in FOBISIA’s journey!”

 

John Gwyn Jones has been a major part of the FOBISIA story since the very beginning, first as a Head of School, then as Chair of the Federation and now as the FOBISIA CEO.

 

31st FOBISIA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 

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Thank you to John and FOBISIA for providing the images for this article.