Bishop Mackenzie International School

Bishop Mackenzie International School serves Lilongwe's diplomatic and business community. It is accredited by NEASC and CIS, and is a member of ECIS and AISA. BMIS is governed by a Trust and is funded principally by tuition fees. The Trustees are elected from the parent body. The school is non-sectarian, its name acknowledging a figure from Malawi's history rather than indicating a religious allegiance. The three-term school year runs from mid August to late June, with major holidays at Christmas and Easter. About a quarter of the students are Malawian, a quarter British and the remainder from over thirty other countries. Teachers are all qualified for the ages and subjects they teach, 70% being from the UK. The curriculum is grounded in the National Curriculum of England and Wales, which is followed closely in English, Mathematics and Science. In other subjects the National Curriculum is a point of reference, but content is adapted to the location and international character of the school. Students start the 2-year IGCSE programme in Form 4 (Grade 9) and IB Diploma in Lower 6 (Grade 11).