Franchising education

Many investors like the concept of franchising, which comes with benefits, which include standardized products, franchisee training, and local and international branding.

Central America is no exception, with hundreds of franchises in various sectors, from fast food to fitness centers.

A potential growth area is education, especially at the secondary-school level, with programs which range from English to computer technology.

Supplemental education, such as tutoring, is another option.

Many families in the region need an alternative to public education, which is often poor, and in which in all cases is rigid, offering only day programs, from Monday to Friday.

Each country in the region has numerous private schools.

However, these schools tend to target rich families, which pay high tuition fees.

An advantage of franchising in the education sector is that scale economies could cut costs in a poor part of the world.

Another is that programs with a track record in developing countries could be attractive in the Central American market.

Several education franchises exist worldwide, such as Eye Level and Kumon, with investments averaging $100,000.