The International School Dhaka (ISD) is a co-educational, day school, founded in 1999 in the capital of Bangladesh. It admits students at the playgroup level to Grade 12 and provides an international curriculum under the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation for both local and international community. It is currently the only IB World School in Bangladesh. ISD is promoted by the STS Educational Group Limited and is recognised by the Bangladesh Ministry of Education and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
The school’s inaugural batch of students was admitted for classes from Nursery to Grade 5 in the 1999-2000 academic year. Subsequent grades were added over the next few years and currently the school has a fully operational campus for students up to Grade 12. The campus facilities include a swimming pool, gymnasium, sports field, cafeteria, fully equipped theatre with seating for 360, science laboratories, computer suites and a purpose-built library. The library aims to facilitate curriculum delivery and reading for enjoyment by providing current and relevant resources for the school community.
Every teacher at ISD has national teaching certifications and are qualified to teach specific subjects and year groups. Most have previously worked in other international schools, thereby bringing in relevant experience of managing an international community of students and curriculum.
At ISD, English, Bangla, French and Spanish are taught as primary languages. Provision can be made for students in Grades 6 and above to study their Mother Tongue as a School-supported Self Study language. Students also experience the best of global exposure at ISD, where they take field trips to Spain, Turkey, China, Malaysia and Thailand for cultural learning. Another salient feature of the ISD curriculum, beyond its academic rigour, is its focus on various co-curricular programmes, which are structured for different levels of learners. From a wide range of performing arts – dance, music and drama – to different team and individual sporting activities covering volleyball, football, cricket, swimming, tennis, athletics and badminton, the co-curricular programmes allow students to improve their fitness, meet new people and see themselves in a completely different avatar.
To promote social awareness among its students, ISD undertakes various community projects throughout the year. One key project, KAJOL, is an annual activity to promote sustainable knowledge and skill development among economically disadvantaged youths from the rural belts. Around 40 youths are supported through this initiative. Other initiatives include Solmaid School scheme to offer free education for marginalised ‘street-children’ of Bangladesh and the innovative 3T (Train the Trainer) programme, through which over 100 primary school teachers are trained each year by the ISD faculty.
Within a short span of time, ISD has not only struck a chord with its students, parents and alumni, but with a larger community of learners, social workers and teachers.
