American School of Kinshasa
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The American School of Kinshasa (TASOK) is an English-using international school in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from kindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1961.
At the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year, enrollment was 185 and there were 23 faculty members. All teaching staff are fully qualified and 90% have credentials either from the United States or their country of origin.
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[edit] History
TASOK was founded in 1961 as "TASOL" for "The American School of Leopoldville", Leopoldville being the name of the capital of the newly independent Democratic Republic of the Congo. The "L" changed to "K" when the name of the city was changed to Kinshasa in 1966. After Independence in 1960, the Congolese schooling system was in chaos, and many of the European schools that had catered to business people, missionaries, diplomats, and aid workers had closed. A group of these led by American missionaries purposed to start a K-12 institution for their children and for others desiring an American-style of education in Central Africa. Land for the school was donated by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Board on the mission station near Stanley Pool (now Pool Malebo) on the Congo River. Until the school buildings were completed, the first classes were held in buildings on the mission station.
With the assistance of the U.S. Embassy, 48 acres of land on Mt. Ngaliema near Camp Tshatshi and the principal residence of President Mobutu were secured under a long-term lease. In the mid 60s, construction of an expansive campus began, incorporating separate elementary, intermediate, and high schools in addition to faculty housing, sports facilities, and a community center. This made the TASOK campus truly the hub of the American--and larger English-speaking ex-patriot community in Kinshasa from the 70s through the 90s. The planners of the campus had the foresight to maintain two sections of the campus in relatively pristine jungle condition. For a time in the early 90s a reserve for Bonobo chimpanzees rescued from poor conditions took up residence in one part of the unspoiled campus before a permanent home was built for them on the outskirts of Kinshasa.
[edit] Organization
The School is governed by the School Association which elects the School Board. Membership in the Association is automatically conferred on the parents or guardians of children attending the School.
The curriculum is that of U.S. college-preparatory public schools. Instruction is in English. Community service is emphasized to make our students more culturally sensitive to their surroundings. French is taught as a foreign language. The School accepts students with mild learning disabilities. The School is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
[edit] Faculty
Facilities: The elementary school (Kdg.-5) consists of 4 buildings, including a library. English-as-a-Second-Language classes, French, a computer lab, a fully equipped playground a basketball court, and a soccer field are all part of the elementary school program. Plans for a science lab are being developed. The middle/high school consists of 16 classrooms, a library, an administration building, a computer science room, and a sports area (including a swimming pool, a tennis court, a basketball court, volleyball courts, and a soccer/softball field). The cultural activities center houses the monthly Spirit assemblies, plays, meetings and other student activities. All the school facilities, as well as residences for foreign-hired staff, are located on a 42-acre tract of rain forest in the metropolitan area.
[edit] Finances
In the 2004-2005 school year, approximately 80% of the School's income derives from tuition and fees. The annual tuition rates for Americans and international students are: Kdg: $4,800; grade 1: $4,800; grades 2-3: $5,400; grades 4-5: $6,000; grades 6-8: $8,200; grades 9-10: $10,160; and grades 11-12: $10,710. There is an English-as-a-Second-Language fee of $2,500. There is a registration/technology fee of $2,500 for grades 1-12 and a one-time application fee of $250. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)
[edit] See also
- List of schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- List of international schools
[edit] Source
This article was adapted from a public domain report by the US Office of Overseas Schools, released on November 26, 2004. It is available here.
[edit] External links
Canada (Kate Ward) And Ireland (Muireann Ronan)And India (Naina Sethi)And Portugal (Monica De Pinto Ribeiro Hancke)
