International School of Ouagadougou

In the 2020-2021 school year, there are 17 faculty members, including 7 U.S. citizens, 5 host-county nationals, and 5 third-country nationals. There are also 5 teaching assistants, 2 host-country nationals and 3 third-country nationals. The Director overseas the overall school operations. In Upper School there is a Dean of Academics and a Dean of Students to assist students, while in Elementary School, an Associate Elementary School Principal helps support student learning. A full-time team of administrative personnel, a librarian, a part-time doctor, a nurse, and a science lab technician to assist the faculty. The administrative staff reflects the diverse culture of the school.

The school follows an American-style curriculum adapted to emphasize intercultural understanding, character development and community involvement. The ISO elementary school focuses on the total development of each child and provides many opportunities for personal and academic growth in a nurturing, structured environment. As learning progresses through the upper grades, an increasing emphasis on inquiry-led and independent study seeks to instill in each student a life-long love of learning. French is taught daily from K-grade 12. The newly introduced IB Program courses in grades 11 and 12 provides students with the skills needed for success in tertiary institutions.

The school is accredited by the U.S.-based Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa.

The school is on a 7-acre (28,000 m²) purpose-built campus adjacent to the residential Zone du Bois and close to the city center. It includes a walled and secure area of 5 acres (20,000 m²), a grassed playing field, dressing rooms, a volleyball/basketball/badminton court, a swimming pool, two lighted tennis courts, and a squash court. Ten major buildings house the classrooms, administration, and resource areas, including a library of around 15,000 volumes, a computer laboratory, a science laboratory, student center, and recreation club/snack bar. The campus is networked for direct service line internet access and has an intranet.

In 2006 ISO signed a protocol agreement with the Ministry of National Education and Literacy. This agreement offers each year, to two students among the top ten who have passed the Brevet d'Etudes du Premier Cycle, the possibility of obtaining a full scholarship at ISO until the end of their graduate studies, as well as a national scholarship (subject to conditions) for their higher education studies. After evaluations and interviews, two students are selected each year to continue their graduate studies at ISO. They then have 4 years to complete their second cycle in the American system instead of 3 years in the Burkinabe system. Thus in 13 years, the school has received 28 scholarship students, 8 of whom are currently studying at ISO, 19 in universities abroad and 1 in a Burkinabe university.

• International School of Ouagadougou
• U.S. Department of State report (some material in this article has been taken directly)