Parent's Review of International School of Kigali in Kigali, Rwanda

What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

International School of Kigali

In what town or city is this school located?

Kigali

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

American

What grade levels are represented at this school?

Pre-K -12

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

Individual car

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

The facilities at this school are makeshift because classes are housed in town houses that have been adapted to accommodate students. Classes are cramped and crowded because they are held in what was essentially a living-room or bedroom. There is little in the way of play equipment. Students are always being injured because the grounds are not conducive to active play. The school offers soccer, basketball and a few other after school activities but there are very few organized teams that can compete with other local schools.

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

The school avails itself of an American curriculum similar to that of the state of Texas. However, there is no standardized testing done to make sure that the curriculum is being correctly implemented or assimilated by the students. Teachers appear to be completely autonomous in the choice of what and how to cover material. Oversight is lacking and parents are not informed about the credentials of the teaching staff. Many are not certified nor have they ever taught before. To the credit of those teachers that are competent and credentialed, they do an excellent job. Others, however, employ techniques reminiscent of the 40's and 50's. One teacher was actually punishing students for not eating their vegetables at lunch time! The school is not yet accredited.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

There is an active PTO which attempts to organize activities basically for the purpose of fund-raising. The social aspect is clearly secondary or tertiary.

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

The expense of this school far outweighs its benefits. The current administrator's competence is questionable to say the least. There have been issues concerning possible mismanagement of funds that have not been adequately addressed. The messenger of bad tidings tends to be targeted when he delivers such news and the board closes ranks instead of addressing serious issues. Additionally, the school is required to accept the children of American service personnel because it receives a large amount of its funding from the US government. Therefore, problem children are difficult to discipline and/or expel. It would be advisable to explore thoroughly the many other options that exist before selecting this school.

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