The past six months have been a somewhat tumultuous time for International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma students who completed the prestigious IB Diploma earlier this year. The May 2020 examinations were cancelled due to COVID-19 and the results based on coursework and historical data which the International Baccalaureate Organization released in July, were subject to global reassessment.
However, the achievements of students from The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) have now been finalised and, in keeping with previous years, ISKL outperformed the worldwide IB Diploma average score by four points with a Diploma average of 35 points. The worldwide IB Diploma average was 31 points. Two students from ISKL were among 339 students worldwide to achieve a perfect score of 45 points, placing them in the top one percent of IBDP candidates worldwide. In total, 24 percent of students scored 40 or more points which typically places them in the top ten percent of worldwide results. 22 percent of students earned a Bilingual Diploma in Dutch, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Swedish.
Authorized to run the IBDP in 1989, ISKL is the longest running IB World School in Malaysia. Since the first cohort graduated in 1992, 1,524 students have earned an IB Diploma over the past 29 years, representing a 97 percent pass rate. The worldwide pass rate is consistently around 85 percent. Unlike many IBDP programs around the world, ISKL offers the IBDP on a non-selective basis, meaning any student is offered the opportunity to undertake the Diploma. As a non-selective program, ISKL faculty work to ensure that each student is mentored and supported throughout the challenging two-year course of study.
Ebony Manning, ISKL’s International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) Coordinator said, “Whether our students achieved a minimum score of 24 or the maximum 45 points, earning the IB Diploma is an amazing accomplishment and we are so proud of each one of our Diploma students. Their grit, resilience and positivity saw them through a very challenging period and their hard work throughout the two-year programme has paid off!” ISKL’s Class of 2020 received more than 400 acceptances from over 200 international universities, in 13 countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Korea and Hong Kong.
Highlighting the efficacy of ISKL’s IB program is alumni Dr Elena Azizan, from the Class of 2005, who was awarded an IB Scholarship in 2003 – an opportunity she says had a profound impact on her future career, where she is currently working at the forefront of Malaysia’s research into the infectivity of Covid-19.
“ISKL IB education was very useful for me as it gave me the first taste of research which I did through the extended essay in Chemistry with Mrs Goh.” said Dr. Elena Azizan (‘05).
She continues, “It shaped my passion for scientific research which resulted in a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge and led me to my current choice of career as a research lecturer in UKMMC (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre).”
As of last May, she received a grant of RM50,000 to undertake “a pilot study assessing angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) expression in the infectivity and severity of COVID-19”.
Earlier in September, ISKL presented the 2020-2021 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Scholarship to two outstanding Malaysian students, Nurin A. and Yogita C. The scholarship program, approved by the Ministry of Education Malaysia, has been offered since 2002. Each year, ISKL offers two Malaysian Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers a scholarship to study the rigorous two-year IBDP. Since its inception, 33 scholarship recipients have graduated from ISKL and gone on to attend leading universities worldwide.
Both scholarship recipients expressed their excitement about joining ISKL and embarking on the world-renowned IBDP.
Yogita said, “I chose the IB Diploma Programme because I trust that it will shape me into becoming a versatile student. It is also the best program to prepare me for a stimulating and challenging university life. If I had a message to my future self when I graduate, I would say, even if you have not accomplished the goals you set for yourself, I hope you look back on this journey and realize how much you have grown as an individual. If you have accomplished your goals, well done! Either way, always continue doing what makes you happy and what feels right.”
Nurin shared, “I hope to enroll in a prestigious university, study hard, and land a job that I will genuinely love. I want to make a difference in the world someday and participate in things that have a positive impact on society. My message to my future self when I graduate would be that I look back and cherish the years as some of the best of my life and yet know that there is still so much more to come… I strongly believe that all girls deserve a right to an education, just like me. More importantly, I believe that the IB program can shape me into a more well-rounded critical thinker and reflective person.”
At ISKL, academic pathways are designed to accommodate the needs of every learner enabling students to select the program that fits with their interests, abilities and aspirations. High School students have the choice of either the two-year IBDP or the innovative ISKL Pursuits Program which gives students the opportunity to combine individual IB, Advanced Placement and High School Diploma courses to create their own program of study and take a deep-dive into a chosen area of focus such as Global Issues or Engineering and Design. Each of these two-year pathways provides a comprehensive, relevant and challenging course of study that can be tailored to individual interests, strengths and goals.
The IB Diploma is a two-year pre-university course recognized by universities worldwide. To earn the full IB Diploma, students are required to study six subjects (three at Higher Level and three Standard Level) as well as complete the Diploma Programme Core which broadens the students’ educational experience and provides opportunities for them to apply their knowledge and develop their skills, and is made up of three elements: a Theory of Knowledge course, a 4,000 word Extended Essay on a topic of their choice and completion of an individual Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) portfolio.
ISKL is currently offering two International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Scholarships for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers.
Applications for the IB Scholarship are based on academic record, co-curricular involvement, and commitment to community service, with shortlisted applicants undertaking an entrance exam and panel interview.
Applications are now open at the ISKL Website.
About Ebony Manning
Ebony Manning is ISKL’s High School International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Coordinator with over ten years of experience working in education. Ebony has a MA in Arts and a BA in Philosophy. She also possesses the Georgia Educator Certificate.
About ISKL
From early childhood and middle school through to graduation, students are challenged to “Be all you are” in a dynamic and caring learning environment. The flexibility of ISKL’s academic program creates global opportunities; the graduating class of 2019 received more than 400 acceptances from over 200 universities in 14 countries spanning four continents and received over USD$2.1 million in scholarships.
While ISKL’s international curriculum delivers strong academic achievement, ISKL is committed to developing well-rounded individuals and provides students with access to an extensive range of opportunities in the arts, music, sport and service. As global learners, students benefit from cultural enrichment opportunities including travel throughout the region for performance, sporting and extracurricular activities, as well through Malaysia Week Program in Middle School and the High School’s renowned Global Action Program.
ISKL is an inclusive school and offers a schoolwide Life-Centered Education (LCE) program to meet the needs of students who have a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability and require individualized academic and social skill instruction. LCE students receive customized guidance and support from highly trained special educators to develop essential skills for their next steps after earning their High School diploma.
