Global pandemic effects on parents' choice of international schools in Malaysia

International school education in Malaysia is provided only by private institutions. In the decade prior to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international schools in Malaysia and their enrollments grew more than twofold. Studies indicate that the growth of international schools in Malaysia is linked to education policy reforms that allow the delivery of foreign school curricula and unrestricted enrollment of local students. Literature also informs that factors influencing parents’ choice of international schools include children’s access to learning in English, better teachers and school facilities, and opportunities for higher education abroad. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global and local economies and people’s lives in many ways. To understand COVID-19’s effects on international school education in Malaysia, we ask: (i) what are the present numbers of international schools and their enrollments; (ii) how do Malaysian parents understand international school education; and (iii) what are the key factors influencing parents’ choice of international schools post-COVID-19 pandemic. We address these questions through documentary research and in-depth interviews with Malaysian parents whose children are studying in different international schools. The analyses of documentary data and interview narratives reveal Malaysian parents’ novel understandings of international school education and shifts in parental choices. This chapter contributes to a critical sociology of education discourse and findings for future policy formulation and education reforms of international schools in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.