Pearson, the UK’s largest education company, has reported first-half-year profits of £131 million, up from £18 million. Interestingly, this is not primarily from its English language courses, which actually made a loss of £4 million, but from its exams and English language tests.
The boom in the company’s finances appears to be down to a double-header of a relaxation in travel restrictions post-peak pandemic – and hence more people taking its tests as the world goes on the move again – and a restructuring largely led by chief executive Andy Bird.
It’s still a remarkable come-back, especially as Covid-led lockdowns meant test centres closed and textbooks were not bought and online options proliferated. It seems, for the moment anyway, proving one’s English language proficiency is paving the English language market with gold.
