The International School of Dakar (ISD), which opened in 1983, is an English-medium school, serving children in grades Pre-Kindergarten 3 through grade 12. The school year extends from mid-August to mid-June. Both the core values – Creativity, Open-Mindedness, Responsibility, and Excellence (CORE), and vision statement – Challenge-Create-Change, reflect the mission, philosophy, and objectives of ISD.
Organization: The school is governed by a nine-member board of trustees elected by the International School Association of Dakar, the sponsoring body of the school. Membership in the association is automatically conferred on the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the school and to the teaching faculty. Ex-officio members of the board include a representative of the U.S. Ambassador and a faculty representative.
Curriculum: ISD is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the Diploma Program in grades 11 and 12. Instruction is in English. French is offered at three levels every day to students in K-12. Every student also has classes in art, music, and physical education. The middle school is a candidate to become an IB Middle Years Program. It provides a partially integrated curriculum and includes semester-long exploratory courses in health, study skills, design technology, drama, and a daily advisory time. The elementary school offers the Primary Years Program. Grades PK3-5 have full-day programs in self-contained classrooms for core subjects. Committed to quality education in an international environment, the school provides specialized training in English-as-a-Second-Language, as well as a Learning Support program for students with mild to moderate learning needs. ISD is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) and the Council of International Schools (CIS). ISD is also a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and the West African International Schools Activities League (WAISAL).
Faculty: For the 2022-2023 school year, there are 264 faculty and staff, including 79 teachers. Of the teachers, including 32 U.S. citizens, 0 host-country nationals, and 47 third-country nationals, representing Canada, UK, Australia, etc. There are also 26 instructional assistants in the elementary classes, two librarians, three high school instructional assistants, one science lab assistant.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment was 743. Of the total, 226 are U.S. Citizens, 39 are host-country nationals and 478 are third country nationals representing 61 other nationalities.
Facilities: ISD’s current campus, built in 1988, sits on four acres overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the Fenêtre Mermoz neighborhood of Dakar. The school has a secondary school building with 33 rooms, including two state-of-the-art science labs, three art rooms, a film lab, and a music room with practice space. The elementary school has 27 preschool/elementary classrooms, a music room, and an art room. The elementary school has an English Language Learner Center and Academic Resource Centers serving students with mild to moderate special needs, and there is a Teaching Learning Center for secondary students. The schools share a library and an innovation center. Additional facilities include a soccer field, two playgrounds, shower and changing facilities, a swimming pool, a fitness room, three multi-purpose sports courts, and a snack bar that provides student lunches. The school will inaugurate a new Performance Arts Center and Athletics Complex in this school year.
Finances: For the 2022-2023 school year, approximately 99% of the school’s income derives from tuition and fees. Annual tuition rates are as follows: Preschool: $15,390; K-grade 5: $22,240; grades 6-8: $24,190; grades 9-10: $27,770; and grades 11-12: $28,320. For all new students, the school charges a $100 registration fee and a $35 re-registration fee for returning students. The capital development fee is settled as follow: $6,500 for returning students in kindergarten, $6,500 for new students and from Grade 1 through grade 12; $1,000 for returning students, grades 1-12, A $500 deposit is charged in May to all students re-registering. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)
Special Needs: Download the Special Needs Profile (2023 Special Needs- Senegal, Dakar) for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.
This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2022 and are provided by the school.