British Council International School Award success for 26 Lebanese Schools

Under the patronage of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in the presence of UK Ambassador to Lebanon H.E. Hugo Shorter, the Director General of the Ministry of Education Mr Fady Yarak, President of CERD Dr Nada Oweijan, and the British Council Country Director Mrs Donna McGowan, the British Council held the International School Award (ISA) ceremony on Tuesday 13 December 2016 from 13:00 till 15:30 at the Ministry of Education Auditorium. 

The event celebrated the success of the 23 Lebanese public and private schools that have achieved the prestigious Full International School Award and accreditation as official ISA schools in addition to one school that completed the Intermediate level and two schools completed the foundation level of the ISA award. 

The International School Award celebrated the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. 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 for life work in today's world. 

The Full award is an acknowledgement from peer group of educators, the Ministry of Education and the British Council of high standards of international work. It is given to schools which have worked over at least a year, to develop an international dimension to their schools' policies and activities. 

The International School Award (ISA) is a global accreditation scheme recognizing good practice in incorporating the international dimension into schools through inter-curriculum activities that make the process of teaching and learning more interactive. This improves the necessary core skills needed for the students to become critical thinkers, creative and locally and globally aware and engaged. Successful schools are accredited for three years. 

The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop:
" An international ethos embedded throughout the school
" A whole school approach to international work
" Collaborative curriculum-based work with a number of partner schools
" Year-round international activity
" Involvement of the wider community 

The 23 schools joined over 10,000 schools worldwide, which have received this award since 1999, when the scheme started. 

The International School Award (ISA) component falls under the umbrella of the Connecting Classrooms Education Programme. 

The schools accredited are:
Abdel Karim Al Khalil School, Al Hanan School for Learning Difficulties and Special Needs, Ali Hussein Abdalla Elementary Public School- El Khiyam, Al-Makassed Omar Bin Al-Khattab College, Antonine Sisters School-St.Joseph- Zahle- Ksara, Bilal Fahs Secondary School, College Elysee, Dmeet Public School, Grand International School, Hasan Kamel Al-Sabbah Secondary Public School, Hasbaya Public High School, Irfan High School - Hasbaya, Jarjouah Public School, Laure Moughaizel Public High School for Girls- Ashrafieh, Lycee Adonis, LycéeHanaway School, Mtein intermediate Public school, DrNazih Al Bizri Secondary School, Students' Paradise Secondary School, Toura Intermediate Public School, Wellspring Learning Community, Yaabad Elementary School- UNRWA, Zkak Al Blat Mixed Public School

source:Xinhua