Lilongwe, Malawi: Bishop Mackenzie International School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

The Bishop Mackenzie International Schools (BMIS) is an international, coeducational, day school, which offers an educational program from kindergarten through grade 12 for pupils of all nationalities. The school year comprises of two semesters extending from mid-August to early December, and from early January through to mid-June.

Organization: The school operates as a not-for-profit trust under Malawi law, governed by a board of trustees elected from among the parents.

Curriculum: The curriculum for students in PK-5 follows the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB). The PK (reception) class admits children who reach age four by August 31, and kindergarten admits children who are five by August 31. Class teachers deliver cross-curricular units of inquiry which address learning in literacy, math, science, and social studies. Specialist teachers work with these units to cover modern foreign languages, art, music, and physical education. Students follow the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) in grades 6-10 and grades 11-12 follow the IB Diploma Program, which is externally examined in grade 12. An educational support program is in place to assist students with mild to moderate learning problems and/or students who need assistance with English-as-an-additional language. Student admission and placement is dependent on prior school records and reports, along with an assessment on entry to the school in order to match the student’s needs to the school program. BMIS is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS).

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, BMIS has 120 total staff including 66 teachers, 15 of whom are U.S. citizens, 6 host-country nationals, and 45 third-country nationals. Our faculty and staff represent 9 nationalities including US, UK, Canada, French, Greek, Australian, New Zealand, Spanish and Indian. All teaching faculty maintain a teaching certificate/credential e.g., Diploma of Teaching/registered Teacher’s certificate from their countries of origin.

Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, enrollment was 602, including 88 U.S. citizens, 271 host-country nationals, and 243 third-country nationals.

Facilities: The school occupies a 25-acre site on the southwestern edge of Lilongwe’s Area 3, a settled area of suburban housing. In the primary school, there are 21 teacher-based classrooms and specialist rooms for art, music, and French. In the secondary section, special facilities include 21 teacher classrooms, four fully equipped laboratories, two ICT laboratories, language acquisition lab, open collaborative “Breakout Space,” drama studio, and design lab. The library is shared, as are the sports fields and gardens. Hard play areas include two tennis courts and a basketball court. There are two assembly halls that double as sports halls and two outside volleyball courts. A swimming pool complex comprises of a 25-meter pool, an 18-meter pool, and an infant splash pool.

Finances: In the 2023-2024 school year, the school’s income is derived almost entirely from tuition fees. There is a two-tier fee structure for Malawian taxpayers and non-taxpayers. Annual (non-taxpayer) tuition are as follows: K-5 $17,601, 6-10 $25,167 and 11-12 $26,893. There are parent deposits of $3,000 for the first child and $1,000 for second and subsequent children, with a refundable deposit (30 days’ notice) of $3,500 and a capital development fee of $600 for new students and $100 for returning students. There is also an annual $100 registration fee per student and a $50 refundable book deposit per student. (All fees are quoted in USD and apply to students whose parents have tax-free status in Malawi).

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-date information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and are provided by the school.