Swaziland, Mbabane: Sifundzani School

Sifundzani School

2006-2007

Sifundzani School is a coeducational day school that offers an educational program from grades 1 through 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1981 and the school year has 3 terms extending approximately from the end of January to the end of April, the middle of May to the end of August, and from the middle of September to the beginning of December.

Organization: The School is governed by a School Committee of 9 members elected for 3-year terms by the school parents. The Committee meets monthly.

Curriculum: The curriculum is geared to the Swazi syllabus which is based on the British system, but is expanded to enable children from the United States and other countries to easily fit into the educational system in their home countries when they leave Swaziland. Instruction is in English with French and Siswati being taught as second languages. English-as-a-Second-Language is also included in the curriculum. Art, music, music appreciation, dance, piano, and recorder lessons are offered by visiting specialists. Physical education, offered at all grade levels, includes swimming, soccer, cricket, hockey, tennis, squash, and netball. The School now offers computer instruction to all grades. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is administered to determine students' progress and to diagnose potential problem areas. Extra-curricular activities include drama, chess, cross country, choir, art, and needlework.

Faculty: In the 2006-2007 school year, there are 38 full-time and 5 part-time teachers.

Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, enrollment was 604 (1-7: 398; grades 8-12: 206).

Facilities: The primary school, on 4 levels, is housed in 4 blocks which contain 15 classrooms, a multipurpose hall, a media centre, a multipurpose room, an administrative office, and a staff room. The sports facilities include a 25-meter x 15-meter swimming pool complete with changing rooms, a small and a larger full-sized playing field, and 2 tennis courts. A new science laboratory is now complete. The additional Grade two class was discontinued. The high school is situated at a separate location about 2.5 kilometers from the primary school and includes 7 double classroom blocks, a multipurpose room, an administrative office, a computer laboratory, an art room, a tuck shop, a multipurpose hall and a science laboratory, a second science laboratory is under construction; to be in use from 2006 academic year. A new sports field has now been completed. This is an ongoing project. More buildings will be added each year until the planned buildings are completed. Some sports facilities are shared with the primary school at the present time. Eventually, the high school will have its own sports facilities. High school students study for the GCSE, SPC and HIGCSE examinations.

Finances: In the 2006-2007 school year, 100% of the School's income derives from tuition and fees. The annual tuition rates are as follows: grades 1-7: $1,283; and grades 8-12: $3,125. There is an annual fee of $48 for the school fund. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)