Panama has many good private schools to choose from for expats relocating here. Panama’s private schools are amongst the top in Central America, and are easily comparable with the quality of education offered by schools in North America.
It is recommended that foreigners enroll their children into private schools in Panama, because Panama’s public schools lack resources, good teachers, and have poor curriculum. Another problem is over crowding where schools have students either attending the morning session or the afternoons, and not full time, resulting in half the hours of instruction offered in North American schools.
The majority of private schools in Panama have a onetime admission fee ranging from $1,000 up to $12,000 per student. Large family discounts are also available, so make sure to check with the school first.
The school year either follows the North American schedule from September to June, or the Panamanian schedule of March to December. Every school in Panama is closed during Carnival, Easter, and Christmas. The best schools offer a good curriculum following the International Baccalaureate program and hire native English speaking teachers earning high salaries. Many Panama private schools have swimming pools, athletic facilities, and modern high tech classrooms. Most private schools in Panama provide transportation services for home to home pick up and return.
Panama private school students come from all around the world including Asia, Europe, and North & South America. There are even language based schools such as a Japanese school, a French school, several Chinese schools, and English schools. Religious based schools include Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim.
While most private schools are located in Panama City, there are new international schools opening just outside the city, like in the Pacific coastal town, Coronado.
