Yemisi Izuora
Eight schools in Nigeria have been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of their work to bringing the world into the classroom.
The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that showcase outstanding work in international education, such as through links with partner schools overseas.
Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to live and work as global citizens.
The eight schools honoured on Thursday in Lagos were Child of Promise School (Lagos), Hallmark School (Lagos), Linsy High School (Lagos), Linsy Nursery & Primary School (Lagos), M.D School (Lagos), Olumawu School (Abuja), Riverside Montessori School (Ogun) and Supreme Education Foundation Schools (Lagos)
Some of the range of international work taken on by the various schools included Creating Wealth from Waste, Cultural Diversity, Learn my Language, Life in Slums, Child Labour, Saving the Girl Child, Nature Conservation and Natural Resources and Sustaining World Peace.
Lynda Ashaolu, Project Manager, Schools Education, British Council, said: “The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms.
“Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy.”
The award is now available worldwide in countries such as the United Kingdom, India, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus and Pakistan as part of the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms programme.
Around 5,000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop an international ethos embedded throughout the school; a majority of pupils within the school impacted by and involved in international work; collaborative curriculum-based work with a number of partner schools; curriculum-based work across a range of subjects; year-round international activity; and involvement of the wider community.