International Schools Supplement
Aug 19, 2015
With modernity, many parents in Uganda are sending their children to international schools whose education is based on international curricula. Most schools offer, the British curriculum IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), GCE (General Certificate of Education) as well
Prepare your child for international opportunities
By Andrew Masinde
With modernity, many parents in Uganda are sending their children to international schools whose education is based on international curricula. Most schools offer, the British curriculum IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), GCE (General Certificate of Education) as well as Cambridge examinations. The International School of Uganda (ISU) is the only one in Uganda offering all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, accredited by both the Council of International Schools (UK) and Middle States Association (USA).
The education systems of these schools offer opportunities to students to join universities abroad and also get international jobs. The schools draw children from different backgrounds and hence enjoy cultural diversity. They offer good quality education and communication skills and allow students to specialise in what they want to do in future.
Sam Turya, the director of Kabojja International School a private co-educational school offering a British curriculum IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) and GCE (General Certificate of Education) says international schools offer the best curriculum that prepare students for both local and international exposure.
He says the different curricula of international schools are revised often to make them more relevant to the dynamics of the world. This is done from two to three years.
Turya says their books are equally updated often and samples distributed to schools in time to help them decide whether to adopt them or not. One can never underestimate the huge exposure that comes with studying in an international school. Since they accommodate students of different nationalities and cultures this helps create networks, he says. “The learning process in international schools is more engaging and practical.
This is made possible by the small class sizes often characteristic of these schools as compared to local schools. At Kabojja the ratio of teachers to students is 1 to 20 which enables a better student-teacher ratio. This also ensures individual attention to the students’ developmental needs,’ he explains.
The deputy head teacher Hana Mixed School, Sulayimani Sengonzi says international schools are not exam-oriented and encourage self-learning and research geared towards nurturing critical and independent thinking while building the strength of character. “We believe in empowering students to have independent views in everything they study other than sitting back and absorbing what is being taught in class,” he says.
Sengonzi says the most important fact about these schools is that they enable students grow socially, academically, spiritually and physically. They help to exploit student’s potential to the fullest. Tthey are fed well just like other international schools worldwide.
The commissioner of Primary Education, Dr. Daniel Nkaada says international schools have a different curriculum which is international. However they are fully accredited by the Ministry of Education and their school calendar is looked at by the ministry. He says unlike the local schools, the international schools have a different curriculum which prepares students for a wide range of opportunities abroad. “International schools have a wide range of students from various nationalities so it is easy for them to cope, having an entirely international curriculum.
The students from international schools also get more chances of joining top universities the world over consistently competing for the best students,’ he explains. In 2000, there were 2,584 international schools in the world teaching about one million students. Today, there are 5,676 international schools with over 2.5 million students and it is predicted that there will be over 11,000 international schools with over five million students by 2020.
Kabojja International School unlocking learners potential
By Andrew Masinde
Kabojja International School (KIS) is a private co-educational school offering a British curriculum IGCSE (Interna¬tional General Certificate of Secondary Education) and GCE (General Certificate of Education). It is a both day and boarding school drawing students from East Africa and other neighbouring countries in the Great Lakes region. It also draws learners from the Diaspora, and also learners of all religious beliefs.
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Children of Kabojja International are taught to socialise with friends so that they can use the skill in future
The school is located in Buziga – Mulalamula Road, a twenty minutes’ drive from the city centre of the Ugandan capital - Kampala, and an hour’s drive from Entebbe Inter-national Airport. In this splendid location, the learners experience a safe, comfortable and empowering learning environment. The school aims at unlocking each learners full academic potential through encouraging them to develop leadership skills with integrity and honesty.
The learners seek to sustain the tradition today while also enjoying the schools full programme of sports, cultural and community development. Sam Turya, the principal says KIS follows a British curriculum relevant to multi-national students’ community right from the primary level to high school level.
“KIS offers unravelled facilities and a breath of opportunity in its own beautiful home away from the commotion of town, but well within learner’s benefits from studying in the serene and secure environment, with professional and dedicated teaching staff, aided by modern facilities in an enviable and spacious environment and they ensure that learners enjoy the comfort and pleasure in learning,’ he explains.
He adds that, in addition to having a cool study atmosphere and an international reputation, the school has quality meals (both African and English food); Modern resource centre with fast internet; a good science laboratory; affirmative class rooms of not more than 20 learners with quality instructors using white boards, projectors and smart boards in delivering their lessons.
Turya says resident learners are accommodated in exquisite boarding houses rather than traditional dormitories. Learners live a family life in boarding houses by working together under the supervision of boarding matrons and wardens who are teachers. “Each learner at KIS is entitled to a personal tutor who acts as a parent and a career advisor. Tutors check on the tutees daily and discuss as a family.
Learners are expected to be candid and express their concerns, exchange ideas, breakdown social barriers between themselves and their teachers as they receive guid¬ance,” he explains. He adds that the school provides first hand medical care but strongly encourages parents to secure a health insurance scheme with an international recognised hospital.
In case of any medical examination beyond the schools’ capacity, the cost is transferred to the parent/guardian. Emmanuel Opuwa the head teacher says non-resident learners are provided with transport to and from the school at a cost. For convenience, the learner has to fit into the route map allocated. “While the academic study is the key focus of the school, co-curricular activities like sporting, cultural and social activities are highly valued and encouraged. The school boasts of a strong team in football, basketball and swimming. We also introduced Tae Kwondo to boost the skills of our learners,” he explains.
Opuwa says learners in lower secondary/ Cambridge secondary 1 offer a number of subjects which introduces them to the main curriculum content of the middle second¬ary. “The subjects include: Mathematics; Science (Biology; Physics; Chemistry) English Language; Literature in English; History; Geography; Languages (French, Arabic); Physical Education; ICT; Drama and Performing Arts; Lamba; Citizenship; Religious Education; Sociology; Art and Design. Learners are helped to attain a good background in the basic curriculum.
After achieving a relatively sound foundation, teachers guide the learners in year 9 to select suitable subjects for IGCSE Year 10,” he says. He says that in middle Secondary / Cambridge Secondary 2 (Year 10 & 11), learners take eight subjects that they chose from; Biology; Physics; Chemistry; Mathematics; Economics; History; English Language; English Literature; Geography; Languages (French, Swahili, Arabic); Sociology; Information Technology; Commerce; Sociology; Art and Design; Business Studies; Accounts. “For upper Secondary / Cambridge Advanced Level Programs, GCE, AS, AICE – Diplomas, Cambridge Pre- University provides opportunities for admission into major universities.
The programme is ideal for learners wishing to pursue higher education within and outside the African continent. The subjects offered at this level include; Biology; physics; chemistry, mathematics, economics, history; English language; Eng¬lish literature, geography, French, German, Arabic, sociology, art and design, computing; and respect for each other’s cultures so as to become proper citizens of the world,” he says
Delhi Public School International adopts digital curriculum in teaching
The school aims at imparting students with civic responsibilities and cultural values Early this year, business mogul Sudhir Ruparelia bought Delhi Public School from Sehgal Jatinde, an Indian national. In April, Sudhir added to his chain of elite schools, Indian International School and merged it with Delhi Public School (DPS).
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DPS International has 55 classrooms which are fitted with smart boards
According to Mary Jacob, the principal of DPS International Kampala, the merger will encourage a better student-teacher ratio and increase competitiveness among students for a better performance. She says the results so far are encouraging. The school inculcates in the students a sense of appreciation of their culture. The school also teaches students to be accommodative of other cultures and beliefs without losing sight of their identity and roots. The school also aims at transforming the student into an individual with a sound academic base, analytical skills, civic responsibilities and cultural values.
This is done through providing an environment for the students to become competitive, loving and accommodative, without compromising individual values. DPS International creates an environment where every student has the freedom to think, express and redefine boundaries set for them for the better cause of humanity and become a world-class citizen. Apart from academics, the school also emphasises extracurricular activities. “We have a wide range of extracurricular activities like sports, notably; soccer, cricket and basketball, among others. We also have other activities like classical dancing, singing and music. We have scheduled educational visits, science fairs and clubs, all aimed at grooming an all-round citizen,” Jacob says.
High tech facilities
DPS has spacious, wellventilated classrooms and a clean environment. It is also equipped with state-of-theart facilities. These include 55 classrooms with smart boards and e-learning facilities, three science labs, two ICT labs with 100 computers each. Others are indoor games’ rooms and a fully stocked library with more than 5,000 books. There is also a yoga room for Indian students to pray and do special exercises. “Our highly proficient and experienced team of teachers, unique and immersive learning methodology, wellequipped library and state of-the-art laboratories that provide hands-on experience, all make DPS International the ideal environment to nurture your child’s potential to their fullest,” Jacob says
Curriculum
Delhi Public International School follows the Indian National Curriculum (Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE). The CBSE is responsible for preparing the syllabus for secondary school. Jacob says they chose the Indian National Curriculum over the Cambridge curriculum or the Uganda National Examinations Board one, because “it is learner-oriented, and students who have followed it are both theoretically and practically sound Jacob also notes that the examinations the students do “cover the entire year’s work and such content is never used to assess learners again in the next class.”
In UNEB and Cambridge examinations, students are examined on content, cutting across more than one year of study. Jacob adds that the Indian CBSE syllabus is structured, highly predictable and controlled. With the CBSE syllabus, the children benefit from marketable subjects like communicative English, environmental science, general science III and above, social science III and above, art and craft until class X, music (folk, classical, western classical) until class X, dance (Indian, folk, classical, western). They also teach computer, physical and health education, science (medical and nonmedical) to classes XI and XII, commerce with and without mathematics to classes XI and XII, humanities with and without geography to classes XI and XII
For every child at GEMS, 100 needy are helped
By Owen Wagabaza
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A teacher explaining a concept to some of her pupils in computer classes
Owned by the Dubaibased company called GEMS Education, the largest K-12 education provider in the world started operations in 1968 and has 71 schools in 14 countries. GEMS Cambridge International School-Kampala opened its doors in 2013.and serene environment of Butabika, Kampala adjacent to the Royal Palms Estate. Neville Sherman, the school principal, says the connection to the GEMS family is important not only for exchange programmes, but also for students in Africa to have online lessons with others outside the continent
Study oil and gas courses at Victoria University
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Victoria University building in Kampala. The university prepares Ugandans for job opportunities in the oil and gas industry
By Owen Wagabaza
The recent discovery of oil and gas resources and its production has the potential to bring about socio-economic transformation in Uganda. However, the oil and gas industry is new to Uganda and there are a number of challenges before the full benefits of exploiting these newly discovered resources can be realised. One of the main challenges is lack of adequate, trained and skilled human resources along the oil and gas value chain. For example, scientists, managers, legal experts and business analysts continue to be in short supply for the oil and gas sector.
KISU equips your child for the world
BY Owen Wagabaza
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Extracurricular activities are emphasised at the school
Founded in 1993, Kampala International School Uganda (KISU) was formerly known as Kabira International School. The school moved to its present site in September 2008. It began as a small primary school with a curriculum based on the National Curriculum for England.Two decades later, the school offers an inspiring and well-rounded international education to students from two to 18 years. Steve Lang, the school director says KISU has evolved considerably over the years and has undertaken an ambitious programme of expansion and development. “KISU now boasts a purpose
Delhi Public School International
The Aga Khan Education Service ,Uganda
