It is with great joy and delight that I welcome you to our uniquely ultra-modern international school, Light International School (LIS). Light International School is the newest addition to our growing number of schools in Kenya. It is an off-shoot of Light Academy a well-known academic giant. Light Academy was established in Kenya in 1998 and initially offered the Kenyan National Curriculum (8.4.4). However, in 2001, it introduced the Cambridge International Examinations International General Certificate of Education (IGCSE) and General Certificate of Education (GCE). Initially, this curriculum was offered from the last two years of secondary 1 (Year 8 and 9) and secondary 2 (Year 10 and 11).
From 2008, the international curriculum (British National Curriculum) was expanded to include Key Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4. Further expansion happened from 2009 when Key Stage 5 (AS/A-Level) was introduced. All this time the international curriculum remained just a section within Light Academy.
Owing to the fact that the international curriculum has been steadily growing, the need to establish a separate and truly international school culminated in the decision to establish Light International School – a mixed school that offers the international curriculum from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5 (from Year 7 to Year 13).
At LIS, we take pride in our unique offering that presents learners and teachers with an experience that is very hard to find in many international schools.
LIS is located in a beautiful, quiet and serene environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. It has spacious, peerless classrooms that are fitted with smart boards and projectors, and warmly decorated with relevant teaching/learning aids. This offers teachers and students great opportunities for the creation of rich, highly interactive teaching/learning experiences.
In addition, we have made sure that our teachers and students are equipped with an advanced computer and ICT skills that come in handy in research into, preparation and delivery of teaching resources, and adoption of enhanced, leaner-centered learning experiences. Besides, the school has robust and dedicated projects office for the purpose of preparing and registering participants for the many national and international project Olympiads and competitions that we are so proud to take part in. Indeed, our students have taken part in many great Olympiads and gone on to scoop numerous prestigious awards.
Furthermore, our brainchild, Golden Climate International Environmental Project Olympiad (GCIEPO) which attracts participants from all over the world, is one of the more popular Olympiads today. Furthermore, we take pride in being associated with the World Scholars Cup, a tournament that brings together primary and secondary school students in one great academic interaction. LIS hosts the East African Regional Round that attracts participants from the region and beyond.
We also have a robotix lab, a truly unique feature in a secondary school, that gives our students opportunities to experiment with the creation of virtual artificial agents (robots) guided by a computer program. This motivates the students to be more creative and challenges them to start thinking about the opportunities and possibilities there are in the different engineering fields. This is indeed an excellent opportunity for our students to learn about controlling, programming and designing different machines.
Another unique feature of LIS is that we have an in-house professional counselor for we take the mental and physical wellness of our students very seriously. We are aware that correctional interventions do not always have to be about punishment as some behaviour manifestations could be as a result if deeply seated psychological issues and it is for this reason that the school deemed it fit to employ a professional counselor.
Our school is a close-knit family in which students and teachers interact freely in ways that greatly benefit all the learners. Furthermore, our class teachers and administrators organize home visits to our parents’/ guardians’ homes to create a deeper relationship and opportunities for face-to-face communication and understanding. Class teachers also organize sleep-overs for their students from time to time which enhance unity and promote the spirit of fellowship among students. Not only that, we do not forget all about our students as soon as they graduate. We have an active alumni office that keeps in touch with all former students and organizes events and get-togethers to which they are invited. Also, the office organizes visits to these former students’ homes or places of work just to check on them.
Indeed, Light International School is a unique culturally diverse school, an excellent example of the fruits of unity in diversity.
RAMAZAN AKKILIC
Principal of LIS Nairobi