‘NATIONAL’ int’l Schools...

Lionel WIJESIRI

The Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardena recently said that international schools should have a regulatory body. “This fact has already been accepted by the government and relevant rules and regulations are to be brought to Parliament soon through a new Education Act,” he said. It will also help to maintain the high quality and standards of education, he further added. Another good move by the government!

Growing demand

What are these ‘International’ schools we are talking about in Sri Lanka? Theoretically, an international school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, by adopting an international curriculum such as for example, Cambridge International Examinations.

Minister Bandula Gunawardena

These schools are supposed to cater mainly to students who are not nationals of the host country, but local students are also allowed, if vacancies are available, to attend these schools and to obtain qualifications for employment or higher education in a foreign country.

In Sri Lanka, the scenario is topsy-turvy. In fact, most of our international schools may be more national than international, being established to cater to local students who want to follow an English-based curriculum to achieve fluency in English and gain entry to overseas universities.

Affluent locals own international schools either solely or in partnership with a foreign franchise and are run as businesses for profit. Management control may be in the hands of the appointed Board who ultimately decides on key appointments, school policy and admission criteria. The management structure will greatly impact the ethos of the school.

Genuine international schools will have a majority of international students, a multinational board, a well-qualified diverse teaching staff, and follow a curriculum that integrates instructional practices of different national systems. Therefore, it is obvious that in the context of our international schools, although having the word ‘international’ in the name does not automatically make it the case.

Many educational experts argue that the government should rein the international schools through a policy framework stipulating certain requirements. First of all, legislation must be brought in to subject the international schools to Education Ministry’s authority. All international schools should be allowed to affiliate with only Educational Boards having well established credentials acceptable to the Ministry and not any overseas Board.

The Ministry of Education should have details of the curriculum of the affiliating board which will be taught, proposed fee structure, facilities and the number and justification of foreign teachers to be appointed. Curriculum, especially of social science and languages, will have to adapt to Sri Lankan needs. Above all, international schools will have to pledge allegiance to our Constitution and values of culture, diversity and tolerance of differences.

The Ministry of Education should form a special team, which with local administrations to assess and cross-check the operation of international schools in accordance with their permits. All schools should be checked on their operating constraints. The team should seek input on how the government can facilitate and empower them to pursue the goals of national education.

Complex process

This writer believes that these proposals are bound to be a complex operation requiring lot of political will to implement them. It will be long-drawn process. The country’s international schools, in theory at least, provide an international education, which trains students to be members of an internationalist society.

The schools point out that their curricula are designed to create a well-rounded student who is prepared to meet the challenges of international higher education. The country’s normal school system, on the other hand, focuses on the promotion of national interests through education.

So, how can we make international schools more nationally relevant? The writer believes that if we study carefully the Thailand experience, we may be able to achieve it with a few modifications in their administration and curricular orientation.

Thai experience

In Thailand, the government has stipulated certain regulations if anyone or any company wants to establish an international school. Few salient points are indicated below.

* Establishment of the school: The project and curriculum should be proposed to the Office of the Private Education Commission for their consideration. The form and content in the project have to comply with those stipulated by the Office of the Private Education Commission. The international school has to be accredited by an international institution and be in compliance with the conditions of that institution.

Apart from this regulation and standard for an international school establishment, the applicant has to strictly abide by the conditions as set forth in the Private School Act and the Education Ministry Rules and Regulations involved.

* School precinct: It has to be large enough for the school’s activities to be organized smoothly and will not cause bad hygienic problems for the public or students. It must not be used for business other than education or be used as the residence of persons other than those involved with the school’s business.

It is located in an area convenient to communication and transportation, where there is a clean environment, far from industrial factories which may cause environmental problems. Nor should it be near other places which may cause disastrous problems for the school and students. At least one third of the area has to be allocated for entertainment and/or recreational activities.

* Curriculum: The applicant has to present the proposed curriculum to the Ministry of Education for its consideration and approval. Thai culture and language must be a compulsory course for all levels of education as required by the Education Ministry.

* Student: Foreign and Thai students are admitted. The number of Thai students must not exceed 50 per cent of the total enrolled students.

* Tuition Fees and Other Fees: The collection of the tuition fee and other fees will be under the conditions as stipulated in the Cabinet’s resolution or the Ministry of Education’s policy involved. The rate has to be approved by the Education Ministry first.

Standards

Since late, there has been a growing interest in the development of standards in international education, growing in part from a desire to improve quality. While there are number of respectable international schools doing justice to impart a true international education, most of the schools have inadequate and unqualified staff, and no basic facilities but charging exorbitant sums.

International schools all around the world have set standards on the unique and creative learning approach they employ to empower their students with reasoning capacity, knowledge, questioning spirit, and self-learning. A collective learning environment in these schools help children understand concept, have fun while studying, and also helps them learn skills which further aid them in building successful career .

By moving away from traditional teaching methods where teachers and textbooks are the only reservoirs of knowledge, and chalk and board teaching techniques; these schools have achieved great results. Children learn easily only when they are interested in what is being taught.

Several new technologies are employed to capture their interest and help them remember what is being taught in the class. This writer is not certain how many international schools in Sri Lanka maintain these required standards though they are ready to charge high fees from parents.

Standard bodies

There are few global organisations setting and guiding universal standards for international schools. International School Association and Council of International Schools are two of them.

The accreditation or membership of any of these institutes offers an internationally-based evaluation for schools operating at elementary, middle and secondary levels, an evaluation instrument designed specifically for international schools, a sympathetic but rigorous evaluation of the highest professional standard, a cost-effective programme, a seal of accreditation which can be retained subject to regular monitoring. It may be a good idea if our international schools obtain membership of one of these organisations to prove themselves that they up to mark of the global standards needed to run a private international school.

The actions discussed above will make the education that international schools provide more nationally relevant and acceptable to parents.