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Thursday 24 May 2012

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NIS

Mrs Radhika Lee, Principal NIS

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Nairobi International School, Kenya

Africa’s Greenest School

Situated in the peaceful and tree-cloistered greenery of Lavington, equipped with a modern gym, computer lab and art studio, and backed by a philosophy to produce disciplined, responsible and caring graduates, is the eco friendly Nairobi International School, the very first school that is “going green” in Africa.

 

Nothing, none of the above, is by happenstance. All is planned and anchored in a clear vision: “When I made up my mind to start a school, I knew I wanted a happy school and I set out to create one. A happy school means happy staff, which means happy children, which in turn means happy parents and, therefore, a happy community.”

 

These inspiring and carefully chosen words are uttered with confidence and conviction by Mrs Radhika Lee, the founder, principal and guiding light of Nairobi International School, better known by the abbreviation NIS. They point to something special. It starts with the school motto. The NIS logo declares, ‘Where Tomorrow Begins’. And, as Mrs Lee puts it, tomorrow starts with children because they are the future, if they are taught the right values and when they are at ease and peace with themselves.

 

 

That something special comes with the calm and confidence that Mrs Lee exudes and inspires, itself borne of more than 20 years of teaching in varied schools in Kenya, dealing with children and their parents and fellow teachers and, evidently, an inbuilt desire and drive to excel

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She too is rare. She left her native India — State of Kerala to be exact — much to the chagrin of her parents and armed with her Masters, “desperate to work elsewhere’’ and inspired by Alex Hailey’s Roots as if she wanted to find herself. In her words:

 

“There’s a reason why I made this decision. God knows why He wanted me to come here. The great number of children that I have taught has touched my heart. I chose to come to Kenya to serve; I did not start this school for monetary gain.”

 

Something unique

And there is something unique about Nairobi International School. This is found in the seven principles on which the school is founded and grounded and which are religiously observed by staff and students:

 

  • NIS students are expected to devote time and energy to the pursuit of academic achievement while also practicing the personal characteristics of respect, self-discipline and teamwork they see modelled around them in classrooms, playing fields and everywhere on campus;
     
  • The formation of character through practices that are morally and ethically demanding, with emphasis on developing the heart and soul of each child where self-discipline, generosity, compassion, understanding, respect and decency are invoked and practiced in and out of school;
     
  • NIS is a community formed by the contributions of unique individuals and in which everyone has an integral part to play and make an impact and in which each one has the ability to contribute to the greater good;
     
  • Given the varied athletic teams and religious/cultural traditions represented in the NIS student body, opportunities abound for students to strengthen their bodies and nourish their souls;
     
  • From the moment students sign the school pledge, they commit themselves to practising the school’s principles of personal growth, integrity, self-discipline and caring for others. Community service is, therefore, not simply a graduation requirement;
     
  • NIS seeks to give students room and opportunity to be creative re-thinkers as they will possess openness to different and better solutions, techniques to see the familiar in fresh light, ways of accessing deeper levels of thought, knowledge to create more ‘Eureka’ moments and the courage and will to push new ideas into practice;
     
  • NIS aspires to be a ‘smart school’ because technology is integrated in its curriculum in a wireless environment, where learning is collaborative, rich and negotiated, weaving a rich fabric of stimulation and evaluation.

The principles

It is these principles that inform the NIS mission statement and the school’s dayto- day activities. They encapsulate the NIS motto: Where Tomorrow Begins. Some of the values taught at NIS are as basic as etiquette and this includes making simple introductions, handshakes, conversation courtesies and social skills. Under this programme students are also taught the etiquette of public places, being good guests and hosts and respect for self and others.

 

It is these principles that inform the NIS mission statement and the school’s dayto- day activities. They encapsulate the NIS motto: Where Tomorrow Begins. Some of the values taught at NIS are as basic as etiquette and this includes making simple introductions, handshakes, conversation courtesies and social skills. Under this programme students are also taught the etiquette of public places, being good guests and hosts and respect for self and others.

Etiquette programme

Phone etiquette, body language and confidence-building, dress codes, grooming, personal hygiene and self-image, handling peer pressure, as well as preparations for interviews and table manners form part of NIS’s elaborate etiquette programme.

 

NIS offers a British curriculum and its programmes include Junior School, Middle School, IGCSE and A-Levels. It is a muchsought- after curriculum because when NIS opened its doors to students in 2008 it started with a healthy population of 35 and just two years later this stands at over 200. It is a day as well as boarding school, with a teaching staff of 35, an administration staff of 11 and 13 other staff it makes for a closeknit family. The staff owns the school. All one needs to do is to stay for a certain number of years and one begins to own shares in NIS.

 

This is where tomorrow begins….

 

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