Listening to the views of students and parents is a great way of taking the pulse of a school and gives prospective families an idea of whether the school will be a good fit for their child and family. We invite you to join The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) for an insider’s view from those who know it best – ISKL’s 2020 graduates, parents, and former students.
Opportunities, support and a close knit community
Alumni Dhruv G. (‘20) said that “The amount of support you get all around you – from teachers, counselors, and friends – is truly amazing. When I started the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, I noticed that everything here is built to help you succeed. Everyone was always helping me and I appreciate ISKL’s encouraging environment.”
Alumni Avantika S. (‘20) added her thoughts on the IB Diploma Programme, saying that “Going through the IB demands so much of you. Reflecting on the year, I realized my critical thinking skills have increased because of the IB programme. At the time it was so hard to look past the tears, the deadlines, and workload – but now it’s done and dusted, I can truly look back and say that I am so grateful to have had such a rigorous programme. It pushed me to become a stronger and wiser person.”
ISKL is the longest-running IB World School in Malaysia, and has been authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organization to provide the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) since 1989. The IBDP is an important element of the academic experience at ISKL, providing a challenging two-year pre-university curriculum that leads to a qualification recognized by the world’s leading universities.
Another alumni, Lea C. (‘20) shared the most treasured aspect of her ISKL experience, saying that “ISKL is like a close-knit family, the parents and teachers are very involved and it is very homey – I am going to miss that the most.”
The Red Hats leadership team
As part of the school’s ongoing initiative to raise a generation of young leaders, all Grade 5 students are part of an Elementary School student leadership team called the Red Hats. The Red Hat programme is built on improving students’ leadership skills, creating opportunities for growth, and helping others. Middle School student, Roman F. recalls his time in Grade 5 when he was a Red Hat: “It was really cool. We got to do many things like field trips, make daily morning announcements, and attend leadership training. I had so much fun being a student leader and the teachers were fantastic, so there was nothing to worry about,“ he said.
Hana M., also from Middle School, agreed and added that “Being a Red Hat is big. As a Red Hat, you have the responsibility of being a leader and a role model to the younger grades in Elementary School. Being a Red Hat is so much fun; you have a lot of privileges and can make lots of new friends!”
A parent’s perspective
Some ISKL parents shared about their experience at the school – here are their thoughts:
“We came to ISKL three years ago from Dubai, so our children were understandably a bit apprehensive with the move and transition. At the time, ISKL was still at the old campus, and while this environment was vastly different from their last school, our son and daughter were instantly impressed! They fell in love with the experience, the teachers and the environment. Our son graduated this year from ISKL, and he insists that it is still his favourite school, even after 13 years as an expatriate student. Our entire family will fondly remember ISKL!” said a parent of Middle and High School students.
Patty D., a parent of current Middle and High School students, shared her experience as an ISKL parent. “What I loved most was the unique opportunities my children have had to travel around Malaysia and in the region through ISKL’s Malaysia Week, the Global Action Program (GAP), and various Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools (IASAS) trips for competitions. Teachers and staff showed care and concern when my daughter missed several days of school earlier this year due to a medical condition. The response from ISKL was, ‘What can we do to help?’ rather than, ‘Your child has missed too much school, and there will be consequences,’ as I have experienced in the past at other international schools. To me, that was very meaningful – our family has attended seven different international schools throughout my husband’s career, and none of them come close to ISKL.”
Another parent of an Elementary and Middle School student said: “From top management to administration, teachers, assistants, helpers, cleaners and guards, we have seen and experienced nothing but an amazing dedication to everyone’s job, all living the ISKL vision by heart. By doing this, ISKL is building a safe and secure basis for our children. My children have grown tremendously over the last 18 months, within every subject at school, as well as through social interactions with people from all over the world.”
Lastly, Wu Kunming who is an ISKL parent to their ES children, summarised their experience at ISKL as thus: “We are so lucky to make the right decision to send our children to ISKL after investigating and comparing all international schools in KL when we settled down here. Our children are well educated and encouraged to try things they are interested in and develop the necessary skills to explore the answers by themselves. ISKL helped create an independent and self-confident spirit out of our child through encouragement and inspiration, and that is a concept we will keep in mind in our future education journeys. Jumpa lagi!”
To read more stories of our ISKL Community where they share their passions, motivations, and inspirations, and to what our school motto, ‘Be All You Are’, means, head over to our website here.
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About ISKL
Established in 1965, The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) has become known as a center of excellence in the world of international education. ISKL is a co-educational, private, not-for-profit school responsible for the learning journey of 1,700 students aged 3-18 years representing more than 65 nationalities at its campus in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
ISKL offers a robust international curriculum which combines leading North American educational frameworks with global best practice. The curriculum recognises that students are on a lifelong learning journey and is driven by ISKL’s mission to challenge each student to “Be All You Are” and develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge, and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.
ISKL is accredited internationally through the Council of International Schools (CIS), and in the United States through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). There is a strong focus on service and sustainability across its divisions. ISKL is a member of the Eco-Schools organisation and the Green Schools Alliance.
