ISK announces US$30m investment in world-leading facilities for Nairobi

27 May 2011

The International School of Kenya has announced a US$30 million capital investment to extend its state-of-the-art facilities to ensure a world-leading international school for Nairobi, necessary to attracting African headquarters to the country, and as a magnet for the world's top diplomats, CEOs and academics.

Unveiling the capital expansion, the incoming Ambassador of the United States, Scott Gration, and the Canadian High Commissioner, David Collins, emphasised the importance of the investment by both the US and Canada in Kenya's Vision 2030, and their commitment to providing the facilities and infrastructure necessary to Kenya's regional leadership.

The Embassy and High Commission, the owners of the school, have employed the world-leading designer of international schools, H2L2, to draw up the master plan for the extended international school in Nairobi.

H2L2 designed the Shanghai American School, Jakarta International School, the American School of Warsaw, Frankfurt International School, Escuela Campo Alegre in Caracas, and the American Community School of Abu Dhabi, and has earned an unequalled reputation for its ground-breaking and innovative designs, attuned to the latest global educational offerings.

Support from all sides

"Vision 2030 as envisaged by the Kenyan Government, and now being supported at every level of Kenyan society, requires that we too play our part. This investment will see us lead the way in delivering a quality of facility and education unsurpassed anywhere in the world, and fitting for an economy moving into top-level growth," said Ambassador Gration.

The US$30 million expansion will add a new central hub to the school, built as a soaring atrium, equipped with wireless internet, leisure and work spaces, and housing an extensive library, new computer labs and restaurant. The school is rebuilding all the classrooms for the Elementary and Middle school to upgrade the science, language and technical facilities, and adding new arts facilities and Gyms, an Olympic-standard running track, and new operational and teacher housing complexes.

"From the school's beginnings as the US Community school, with just 15 students in 1967, this investment represents the most exciting investment ever made in the Kenyan complex," said Ambassador Gration.

ISK now schools over 800 students from 80 nationalities, from diplomatic, NGO, business and decision-making families.

To work in synchronicity with Kenyan government

The Mission, Vision and Aims of ISK are to work in synchronicity with the government of Kenya's Vision 2030 goals for education, providing a foundation of mutual respect, teamwork, social responsibility, and moral and ethical values for tomorrow's global citizens and world leaders.

The school has consistently achieved access to the world's top universities for its graduates, with more than 90% of the Grade 12 graduates moving on to international universities that include Ivy League Universities in the US, such as Browns, Princeton, Cornell and Stanford, the London School of Economics, Imperial and King's Colleges in the UK, and top universities in Canada, France and worldwide.

ISK offers open access to its students to the International Baccalaureate, built to achieve the holistic and rigorous development of independent thinkers and creative problem solves attuned to the most pressing challenges of the 21st Century.

Source: Webaraza