The International School of Ghent is launching English-language secondary education for the first time this school year. Eight pupils are enrolled to start on 1 September. "We are happy with the number of enrolments, we were expecting something like this," says director Maija Lusher. The pupils are children of expats and will following an international curriculum.
English-language secondary school in Ghent starts school year with 8 pupils: 'Unique in East and West Flanders'
Colin Clapson
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"We are extremely happy with the interest in the ISG’s secondary education," says headmaster Maija Lusher. The school has been in existence for over 10 years and offers English-language education. Until last school year only for primary education, from this school year schooling is being expanded to include a secondary school department.
"Eight pupils have enrolled so far for the start of the new school year on September 1. These are children of people who come from abroad and work here. These include people from Uganda, Poland and even Uzbekistan."
Half the schoolchildren already know the ISG, as they attended primary school here for several years. For others, it is completely new: it will be a first day at school in a new school and a new country. "We are starting with a first year and want to grow over time".
The ISG already boasts 80 pupils in primary school, so now about 10 more are joining. "The number of enrolments seems low, but that's how it started in our primary school many years ago".
The expansion comes in order to make life easier for expats in East and West Flanders. Until now, they still had to head for Antwerp and Brussels for English-language education. Ghent is centrally located and is also home to a lot of (bio)tech companies that often temporarily attract international profiles. Flemish employers’ organisation VOKA earlier stressed the importance of quality English-language education to attract expats.
The new course is not cheap. For one school year, 20,000 euros have to be forked out. The school follows a curriculum that is the same in all international English schools, so children who move can quickly get up to speed. "It is very common for students, and now schoolchildren, to move during the school year. In the first few months of the school year, two more children are expected to join the secondary section," Lusher notes.