Real Education Group Sdn Bhd

In 1985, with just 40 students in a rented bungalow in Cheras, a new private education provider began its journey. Founded by Ee Ching Wah and Kee Keok Kuay, the company, then known as Education Ventures Sdn Bhd, aimed to offer an alternative to the existing school system. This humble start laid the groundwork for what would become one of Malaysia's significant players in private education, R.E.A.L. Education Group. The company focused on steady expansion, building its first purpose-built campus in 1992. Over the next decade, it added campuses and began offering international curricula to meet growing demand. A key moment arrived in 2014 when CIMB Private Equity acquired a 33% stake, signaling a shift from its entrepreneurial roots to a more corporate structure and providing capital for further growth. This growth trajectory attracted more significant attention. In 2017, Paramount Corporation Berhad acquired a majority 66% stake, integrating R.E.A.L's network of kindergartens and schools into its own expanding education portfolio. The final chapter of its independent story was written in 2020 when TPG Capital Asia, a major global investment firm, acquired a majority stake in R.E.A.L. Education Group as part of a larger deal. Today, R.E.A.L. operates under XCL Education, TPG's Southeast Asia-focused education group, a testament to its three-decade journey from a single house to a key asset in a regional education platform.