Health & Education

Home and Away

International Schools

As more and more foreign workers flock to Mozambique, there is a growing demand for internationally recognized schools.

Maputo has numerous options offering a combination of national, French, English and American curricula. But it is not just the capital doing so. Other cities have followed the trend. One Mozambican-born international school even managed to spread its wings abroad.

Founded in Maputo in 1998 by Anil and Roshni Melwani, the rise of the Young Gemynds International School is nothing short of a success story. Having started as a kindergarten in the capital city with only four teachers and eight students, the school today has a staff of 32 offering early schooling, primary and secondary education to over 300 students. Young Gemynds follows the American Calvert Curriculum for the pre-primary and primary levels and the Cambridge Curriculum for the secondary level.

But Young Gemynds has expanded its horizons well beyond Maputo. In 2001, a branch opened in Beira, Mozambique’s second largest city, which today has over 100 students guided by seven trained teachers and eight support staff. Other branches were opened to meet the growing demand for quality schooling in cities like Xai-Xai, Chimilo, Nampula and Tete. Meanwhile, the Melwanis have set their eye on the growing Asian market. In 2012, Young Gemynds opened in the fast-growing city of Pune in India, and a year later a preparatory school was inaugurated in BSD City, Indonesia.

The American International School of Mozambique (AISM) is arguably the most well-known international school in Maputo. It is also, by some margin, the most expensive. Annual tuition fees vary from some $13,000 in Grades 3 and 4 to over $25,000 in Grade 12. Founded in 1990, the AISM is an IB World School offering early learning, primary school, middle school and high school, providing US-style college preparatory courses.

It has over 60 classrooms, state-of-the-art sport facilities, and an auditorium for music, dance and drama. In 2014, some 575 students representing nearly 40 nationalities were enrolled. As most international schools in the country, the AISM offers a special scholarship program for Mozambican students who otherwise would not be able to enter secondary school.

The French International School (EFM) was established in 1979. An initiative of parents concerned regarding the education of their children, the EFM first started in a small garage for just a handful of pupils. Today, the school has over 400 students from some 36 countries. Fees vary from some $3,000 in the early stages up to $7,000 in Grade 12. The school is strictly bilingual (English-French), even in the early schooling stage, while Portuguese is taught as a foreign language. International language certifications in Portuguese, English, Spanish, German and French are available.

Founded in 1975, the Maputo International School (MIS) is the oldest such institution in the capital. It offers pre-school education based on the British National Curriculum Early Years Program to children from age 3 to 5, while in the later stages up to Grade 13 students prepare for exams conform the Cambridge International Examinations Board. Annual fees vary from some $1,300 in pre-school to some $3,300 in the higher grades.

The Willow International School was established in 2003. By 2011, it had over 400 students enrolled in both primary and secondary education. Instruction is in English with additional courses in Portuguese, while graduates can earn both Cambridge and national certificates. Annual tuition fees vary from some $2,900 for early schooling to some $4,600 in the highest grades.

Finally, the Grandeur International School in Maputo offers the Calvert Curriculum for toddlers and kids up to Grade 6, while its High School Department follows the Cambridge curriculum. As said previously, Maputo is not the only city offering international schooling. For example, a number of concerned parents in Chimoio in the heart of the country established the Chimoio International School (CIS). Long story short, people planning to move to Mozambique need not to worry about being able to offer their children a proper education.

You may also be interested in...

Female,Scuba,Diver,Swimming,Under,Water

Tourism

Diving in

Scuba diving in Mozambique

View More
Large,Industrial,Tanks,Or,Spherical,Tanks,For,Filter,Of,Petrochemical

Real Estate & Construction

Chin up

Challenges for the future

View More
Cocoa,Pods,In,Ghana,Forest

Agriculture

On the right track

Reforming the agricultural sector

View More
Casablanca,,Morocco,Industrial,Shipping,Port,At,Dawn.

Transport

The port of choice

The Port of Nacala

View More
The road to prosperity

Telecoms & IT

The road to prosperity

Internet access

View More
Come get involved

Finance

Come get involved

Financial inclusion

View More
Beer battles

Industry

Beer battles

Breweries in Mozambique

View More
A united front

Diplomacy

A united front

Cabo Delgado insurgency

View More
Between a rock and a hard place

Economy

Between a rock and a hard place

Mozambique versus COVID-19

View More
View All Articles