- 27 April, 2004 -

Mathnasium President, Peter Markovitz, announced today that Mathnasium would be launching its first operations in South America and South East Asia. He said country licenses had been awarded in Brazil and Malaysia. "Mathematics is central to the core curricula in other countries, as it is in the United States," he said. "Our market is not only international, it is truly universal. And our product can be translated into other languages and adapted to other cultures with relative ease." He cautioned, nevertheless, that sensitivity to local conditions is "a matter of common sense" and crucial to successful adaptation. Markovitz said that market conditions are "strikingly consistent from country to country" particularly at the elementary school level from which Mathnasium draws most of its students. "Students pretty much learn the same math everywhere," he said. "They struggle everywhere, too." The license for Brazil was awarded to Luis Namura, Brazil's leading education industry entrepreneur. Brazil has the world's largest per capita population of elementary school students. Namura's education conglomerate provides a plethora of products and services, ranging from school equipment to teacher training. The license for Malaysia was awarded to Tony Lau an education technology pioneer who has been instrumental in creating the infrastructure for providing thousands of Malaysian children with advanced technology skills. Markovitz said that the company's ventures in Brazil and Malaysia are a precursor to a "fast paced" international expansion. A delegation of Mathnasium executives including Mitch Brown, Mathnasium COO, will formally announce the company's offering at the upcoming International Franchise Exposition in Washington, D.C. The conference attracts prospects from dozens of countries around the world. Markovitz said that Mathnasium expects to open in one new country every three months. Markovitz expects that unlike the Mathnasium licensees appointed in Brazil and Malaysia, many future country franchisees will not have experience in the education industry and may not be familiar with the strategy of franchising. "We seek ambitious and experienced business operators," he said, "who we can train to run an education franchise company." Markovitz said he expects international candidates who wish to introduce Mathnasium to their countries to possess a passion for helping the children of their countries and a willingness to assume positions of leadership in education. They must also show a strong commitment to building a brand through outstanding service, aggressive marketing, and, if they elect to franchise in their countries, promise to provide the highest level of franchisee service and support. About Mathnasium Learning Centers Mathnasium Learning Centers offer "math-only" after-school educational programs in an attractive and supportive setting for children to develop much-needed math skills and build confidence in their abilities. Developed over 30 years of hands-on experience with thousands of children, the Mathnasium educational method is designed for children of all ages and skill levels. Mathnasium offers an environment and method in which children really do develop the mathematics understanding they will need to succeed in the information age. Mathnasium is headquartered in 5120 W. Goldleaf Circle, Suite 130, Los Angeles, CA 90056. Mathnasium can be reached at (323) 389-1100, info@mathnasium.com, and www.mathnasium.com.

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