LONDON Reuters - Global education group Pearson said it believed enrolments at community colleges in the United States had been hit by the spread of COVID - 19 Delta variant and a tight labour market that put students off.
The British company, which said it would meet market expectations for the full year, said it had however been boosted by demand for virtual schools, while more than two million people registered for its new Pearson app.
Although no market data for the full back to school period as yet, Pearson's internal analysis indicates a decline in enrollment, particularly in community colleges, following a surge in COVID 19 infections in the key back to school period and a strengthening of the U.S. labour market, it said.
The British firm, repositioning itself as a consumer-facing group offering training and skills for life beyond its core colleges and college remit, said it saw a decline in U.S. Higher Education Courseware.
In contrast, its Virtual Learning division earned revenue growth of 14%, reflecting enrolment growth in Virtual Schools.
The group reiterated its full-year outlook after underlying revenue rose for the nine months of the year by 10%. That was down from the third quarter growth of 17% due to a tough first quarter comparison, it said.