Wang Learning Centre finds a winning linguistic edge in Chinese

CHINA’S rise has drawn the attention of not just businesses, but also parents who want their children to be skilled in the language – and Chinese-language tuition chain Wang Learning Centre is riding this wave of demand.

Said founder and principal Wang Jie: “As China’s influence on the Asia-Pacific and the world grows, more business opportunities will arise from working with China, driving demand for individuals proficient in the use of the Chinese language.”

The company intends to grow beyond its current 11 branches in Singapore, and is also exploring opportunities in neighbouring countries – particularly those with a burgeoning community of Chinese-language learners.

Seeds of learning

Wang, who is from China, came to Singapore in the late 1990s to find a job and provide a better livelihood for her family. Here, she saw the opportunity to pursue her passion of educating the next generation.

“Back then, I joined a local tuition centre,” she recalled. “At that time I quickly learnt the ropes. I was then promoted and eventually took on the role of head trainer and supervisor.”

In 2007, she struck out on her own, opening the first Wang Learning Centre in a shophouse within the Mandarin Gardens condominium.

Enrolment grew steadily and the shophouse soon reached its capacity. In 2009, she set up a new branch at Eastgate along East Coast Road.

Since then, Wang Learning Centre’s staff strength has grown to over 140 tutors. Over the years, it has served more than 11,000 students aged five to 16, from preschool to primary and secondary school.

This growth has been achieved despite the company’s lack of marketing. Said Wang: “Our centre has no need for active marketing efforts, but is mainly relying on word-of-mouth from the students and parents.”

Overcoming early challenges

Wang’s approach was to promote Chinese education as more than an academic subject, and instead as a valuable lifelong language skill.

She identified two ways for Wang Learning Centre to gain a competitive advantage: first by developing proprietary teaching materials and pedagogy, and second by building a trusted team of dedicated educators.

Instead of relying on materials that could be bought off the shelf, Wang developed them herself.

“I spent days and nights fervently developing materials that catered to the various levels of students. I had to also adapt to the changing curriculum dictated by the Ministry of Education,” she recalled.

For her team of educators, Wang devised a stringent selection process with both written and verbal assessments.

The team meets frequently for discussions, training and sharing sessions. From time to time, Wang also invites seasoned industry professionals to give guest lectures on best practices in the industry.

As the company grew, Wang found the managerial and administrative aspects of the business increasingly difficult to manage on her own, and thus expanded the management team.

“I understand the need to delegate responsibilities so that the business can scale feasibly while maintaining its stellar reputation for quality tutoring,” she said. “I entrusted my ‘baby’ to my team of partners and teachers who share my values and passion for education.”

Weathering Covid-19

Over the years, Wang Learning Centre focused on developing its core offering of on-site tuition. But in 2020, the onset of Covid-19 and corresponding “circuit-breaker” measures led to shuttered schools and empty classrooms.

The company was forced to go digital rapidly, redeveloping all aspects of its operations. As a temporary measure, the company switched communications to e-mail and transferred all physical student records to an online database.

To keep students actively engaged while learning online, teachers encouraged collaborative activities to sustain a high level of participation.

Even after the pandemic subsided, the company decided to further embrace digitalisation. It developed an in-house student management system which streamlined student-related operations, while serving as a centralised point of communication for both students and parents.

In recognition of its business resilience and ability to navigate the uncertain economic landscape, Wang Learning Centre received the Enterprise 50 Award in 2022.

The company is not resting on its laurels – and its customers, too, are increasingly enthusiastic.

The growing importance of the Chinese language has driven parents to kick-start their children’s linguistic education from a younger age. In response to this demand, the company launched its first nursery-level class in 2022.

Said Wang: “Demand will remain high for as long as Singapore continues to promote the lifelong learning of mother tongue and China continues growing its presence as a regional and global economic power.”

This series is part of the Enterprise 50 Educational Project between the E50 partners and the NUS Business School. Wang Learning Centre was among the winners in 2022. The annual E50 ranking is co-organised by The Business Times and KPMG, sponsored by OCBC Bank, and supported by Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Exchange and Singapore Business Federation.