• My Zone

A Namibian First

• 1 Day Ago - 2025-08-28 00:00:00

According to WIS High School Principal and College Counsellor, Margarete Reiff, “The MYP is recognised internationally and benchmarked by the UK’s ECCTIS as equivalent to IGCSE grades.”
In its inaugural year, WIS students achieved impressive results. With assessments marked out of seven, the school recorded an average grade of 4.7 (5.2 for certificate earners). The average overall score stood at 37.74, slightly above the world average of 37.71, with the highest score reaching 49 out of 56.
WIS MYP Coordinator, Adrian von Wrede-Jervis, explained that the programme evaluates more than just factual knowledge. “The MYP assesses not just what students know, but how they apply it. Independent studies by NFER and ACER show that the MYP develops independent learners, critical thinkers and active global citizens, and better prepares students for the IB Diploma than equivalent courses.”
Speaking about the type of learner best suited to the programme, Von Wrede-Jervis said: “The MYP is an academic programme for Junior Secondary Phase students. The course is best suited to curious learners who are interested in how the material they are learning connects to the real world. Learners who crave relevant and meaningful education thrive in this programme.”
He also highlighted how the MYP differs from the Cambridge or IEB curricula. “The MYP is equivalent to Cambridge IGCSEs. IGCSEs are courses focused on content material; in contrast, in the MYP teachers design units that ensure relevance to the local context. For example, the science curriculum teaches all the required content but relates every element to planetary issues we are facing and to the strategies being developed in Namibia to address them.
"This inspires learners and is the crucial difference of this type of learning. The MYP is an excellent foundation for progression into the Senior Secondary Phase. Here at WIS we offer the world-class International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This qualification extends beyond Cambridge AS levels (and IEB ISC) to the equivalent of Cambridge A2 qualifications.”

Real world context
Explaining why WIS made the change, Von Wrede-Jervis added: “For all the reasons outlined above, the MYP ensures that academic content is covered while embedding it in real-world contexts. In addition, the assessments are more inquiry-driven and open-ended, which teaches students how to be researchers, how to evaluate material as critical thinkers, and hones the communication skills they need to articulate their understanding. These skills prepare our students more effectively than IGCSE for the Diploma Programme, which takes these competencies to the next level.”
Looking at the bigger picture, he said: “Students at WIS studying the MYP are curious learners who see their learning in the context of the wide range of challenges in our world today. They will be the ones who want to go out and be part of the solution – and because of this programme they will be successful in such ambitions.”
WIS director, Ethan van Drunen, reinforced the importance of this milestone, saying: “This milestone expands opportunities for Namibian students to pursue a globally recognised qualification that goes far beyond memorisation.”
Founded in 1990, WIS is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), MYP, and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school’s mission is to develop each student’s full potential in an environment of academic excellence, cultural diversity and active social responsibility.