GEORGETOWN International Academy (GIA) continues to be the first school in Guyana to be accredited by AdvancED, a highly recognised umbrella accreditation body dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide and which is based in the United States.
The accreditation status was officially extended on April 9, after a committee of AdvancED scholars completed an in-depth on-site review of the institution and the announcement was made at a press conference held in its Prashad Nagar auditorium within the city.
Director of GIA, Dr. Kelly Mekdeci announced, delightfully, that: “Our accreditation has been renewed and we have obtained a very high score from AdvancED.
“We are, presently, the only school in Guyana that is accredited in the United States (U.S.) by AdvancEd which is the largest accrediting body.”
She said, further, that contrary to what the general public might think, GIA has almost 50 percent Guyanese attendance.
Head of the AdvancEd review team, Dr. Darell Barringer stated: “The school has created an environment conducive to learning and does a tremendous job in preparing students for the challenges that lie ahead in the 21st century.”
He congratulated Dr. Mekdeci and the GIA community for its growth, both in terms of facilities and intellectually.
DIRECT STANDARDS
Barringer also explained that there are five direct standards to which the school had to apply itself and was graded on those, resulting in it scoring within the top 20 percent of the accredited schools worldwide.
He also indicated that AdvancEd has accredited schools in 72 countries and those would carry a seal that is recognised worldwide.
This makes it quite simple for students who would wish to further their studies in a different country, Barringer stated.
In 1998, GIA became the first in Guyana to be accredited by AdvancEd accreditation agency in the U.S. and it continues to be Guyana’s only such. That signifies a high level of achievement and adherence to educational standards consistent with schools in the U.S. and other parts of the world, Barringer assured.
After an exhaustive nine months internal review of benchmarks, by AdvancED’s education team, relating to leadership, governance, curriculum and teaching methods, as well as an external analysis of the school, reviewers have certified that GIA exceeds standards set by the U.S. accrediting body.
The GIA strives to be a 21st Century learning community for global citizenship, committed to world class excellence and empowering well rounded individuals educated for success in life.
Its mission is to provide opportunities and challenges for each student to succeed as a lifelong learner and responsible citizen in a changing world.
By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally