Malaysian School - Ethnic Diversity

The international school in malaysia offers a truly diverse and unique educational experience for students who seek adventure and new opportunities while also wanting to maintain close connections with family and friends back home.

At the end of each term, the whole school community gathers for the traditional award ceremony, where students receive their individual end of year accolades. At this year's event, students and teachers from Banda Aceh were presented with a special award by H.E. Sheikh Mohamed Bolkiah for excelling in their studies and contributing to the community.

The school is named after Mahatma Gandhi, the famous Indian political and spiritual leader who had a profound impact on the way the world perceived and related to India. His philosophy of non-violence and respect for other cultures strongly stands at the heart of the school's philosophy and mission.

The school's founder, Sir William Robert McAlpine, was influenced by his deep-seated respect for the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and established the school in response to the needs of the Indian community. His aim was to provide his children with an education that would help them develop the values that he felt were so important in contributing to a more peaceful and tolerant world. In 1931, the school held its first international school conference, inviting educators from around the world to share ideas about the growing internationalism that was emerging throughout the 1930s.

Today, the school continues to provide a unique and diverse international education that encourages students to be global citizens who are committed to the ideals of peace and equality that were so important to Sir William Robert McAlpine.

Located only six kilometres from the airport, the campus was completely rebuilt in 2014 and now houses buildings from nine different countries. The reconstruction allowed the school to better integrate and create a sense of unity with the other schools in the consortium. The buildings are aesthetically designed to blend in with the tropical landscape and to provide a bright, modern space for instruction and reflection. However, the most iconic feature of the campus is undoubtedly the tropical garden. More than just a pretty picture, tropical gardens are extremely practical because they allow plants to thrive in the most inhospitable of climates. There is a wide range of tropical plants that can brighten up a dark and dull room.

Thanks to this indoor-outdoor living space, students experience a truly unique blend of local and global culture as they move from classes to games, from exams to festivals. There is always something exciting going on at the school, and students are regularly exposed to many different cultures, which helps develop their understanding and appreciation for other people and their differences. During orientation, new students are given a tour of the campus and are subsequently introduced to the ethos and philosophy of the school. This helps create a strong sense of community amongst the student body and encourages them to get involved in as much as they can, regardless of their time at the school. There are numerous opportunities to get involved in school life, from playing sports to exploring the region's many beautiful places of worship.

The school follows the UK curriculum, with core subjects taught in English and a selection of other subjects taught in either English or Bahasa Malaysia, the official language of the country. Students then have the option of choosing either the Cambridge or the International Baccalaureate Diploma to further their studies after they complete their high school education. While the UK is one of the most common sources of students' applications, there are many other commonwealth countries that have a large population of Malaysian students; these students are looked after by the school's dedicated and professional staff. The school has recently expanded its offer and provides a fully-fledged performing arts programme for students in years 7 to 10. This has enabled them to gain valuable work experience and further their studies toward a career in the performing arts. The school regularly commissions classical artists and composers from around the world to come and teach or perform for the students. All of this helps to form a truly international and diverse student body. As well as this, the school's annual report and accounts are audited by an independent body, and it is inspected by the Education Department of the government of Malaysia on a routine basis. This ensures that the school remains at the forefront of educational establishments in the country and that the highest standards are maintained.

The school is open to students from around the world and actively encourages ethnic diversity. It was originally set up to provide a British education to children of the British community in Malaysia, but it soon became apparent that this was not going to be sufficient to meet the needs of the diverse student body. Thanks to the school's founder, Sir William Robert McAlpine, who was greatly inspired by Gandhi, many other nationalities are now represented at this beautiful learning environment. Today, students come from over 70 countries, and the school continues to expand, both academically and culturally, to accommodate this. The school's staff and students are committed to furthering knowledge and understanding between different cultures and religions, as well as promoting harmony, tolerance and respect.