Banani International Secondary School
The Banani International Secondary School is a private school for girls in grades 8 through 12 in Zambia founded on the principles of the Bahá’í Faith. Planning for the school began in 1987 with construction beginning in 1990. The school opened January 31, 1993 and was inaugurated May 18, 1996. It had grown from 65 students in 1993 to 120 students.
Inauguration[edit]
The Banani International Secondary School was inaugurated on May 18, 1996 by Hon. Alfeyo Hambayi, the Minister of Education in conjunction with Mr. Kiser Barnes, Mrs. Lali Warren and Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, with Mr. Hasan Sabri of the Office of Social and Economic Development.
Facilities[edit]
Instructional areas include eight classrooms, a science laboratory, a 30-station computer lab, agricultural areas, and library.
The dormitories hold up to 200 students, with a Senior Commons (theater and recording studio), various play fields, swimming pool, and a campus store. There are also facilities for most types of sports.
Expansion[edit]
From the time the school opened in 1993 to its inauguration in 1996 the school had grown by 55 students and developed a library, a multimedia computer lab, swimming pool, and purchased a school bus. Funded mostly by individual contributions both from within and out of the country. Currently, the school has close to 200 students and a Primary School is developing rapidly with close to 100 students
Program[edit]
Courses presently offered include:
- Agricultural Science
- Biology
- Character Development
- Chemistry
- English as a Second Language
- English as a First Language
- Foreign Language French
- Geography
- History
- Mathematics
- Physics
- World Religions
- Accounts
- Business Studies
- Physical Education
- Computer Studies
- Information Technology
- Additional Mathematics
Most Courses come in two forms - "Core" for average students, and "Supplemental" for advanced students. The school also offers Junior Youth Groups where students are placed into different groups to discuss their lives. Its one way to get to know each other. Each group is run by an animator who is a girl in senior grades and the other members are junior girls.
Government[edit]
The Banani School is governed by a Board of Directors of the William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation and administered by the Principal.
Accreditation[edit]
The Zambian Ministry of Education syllabus is used for Grades 8 and 9 who then write the Junior Secondary School Leaving Exams at the end of Grade 9. Grade 10 is a preparatory year and introduction to the Grade 11-12 University of Cambridge syllabus which provides students with an International General Certificate of Secondary Education or the more advanced Cambridge IT Skills Diploma.[6]
The website African Almanac has reviewed schools in Africa and posted it's "top 100 schools" and lists the Banani School as the #93 secondary school for 2003
There is an annual conference of primary school teachers at the school coordinated by Independent School Association of Zambia (ISAZ)
