[www.inewsguyana.com] – Georgetown International Academy (GIA) has become the first school in Guyana to be accredited by AdvancED. On Wednesday, April 9, the school’s accreditation status was officially elevated and extended after a committee of AdvancED scholars completed an in-depth on-site review of the school.
Dr Kelly Mekdeci, Director of GIA told the news conference, “our accreditation has been renewed and we have obtained a very high score from AdvancED, we are the only school presently in Guyana that is accredited in the United States (US) by AdvancEd which is the largest accrediting body.”
She noted that contrary to what the general public might think, the school has almost 50% Guyanese attendance.
Dr Darell Barringer, Head of the AdvancEd review team, said “the school has created an environment conducive to learning and does a tremendous job in preparing students for the challenges that lie ahead in the 21st century”.
He congratulated Dr Mekdeci and the GIA community for the growth of the school both in terms of facilities and intellectually.
Dr Barringer also explained that there are five direct standards the school had to apply themselves to and was graded on these said standards which they scored within the top 20% of the accredited schools worldwide. He also indicated that AdvancEd they have accredited schools in 72 countries worldwide and theses entities would carry a seal that is recognised worldwide. This makes it quite simple for students who would wish to further their studies in a different country.
In 1998, GIA became the first school in Guyana to be accredited by the AdvancEd school accreditation agency in the United States. GIA continues to be Guyana’s only U.S. accredited school. Accreditation signifies a high level of achievement and adherence to educational standards consistent with schools in the United States and other parts of the world.
After an exhaustive nine month internal review of benchmarks relating to leadership, governance, curriculum, and teaching methods by AdvancED’s education review team, as well as an external analysis of the school, reviewers have certified that GIA exceeds standards set by the U.S. accrediting body.
