British education model arriving in Panama
By Dafydd Young
British style education is coming to Panama with the opening in September of Kings College in Clayton.
The move is part of an ongoing process for British help in raising educational standards in Panama, fired by a request from President Ricardo Martinelli to incoming UK ambassador Michael Hollaway last year.
Britain, which has the largest investment stake in Panama with icons like, Panama Pacifico, HSBC, Cable and Wireless and more, has long been a provider of educational facilities around the world and not only in the Commonwealth.
Kings College will be the spearhead of British models in Panama. and there are more in the works.
The Kings College Education Group and its President Dr. Roger Fry CBE have recognized the potential of Panama in Central America and will open the first international British school in September with enrollment from maternal to 6th grade.
It plans to be be a model of educational excellence for the country and the region.
Kings College, the British School of Panama will open in September 2012, with its academic curriculum conforming to the model and British standards of education.
After the first year the school will increase its classes to other academic levels providing students the academic rigor required to be accepted into the best universities in the UK and North America, including Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, LSE (London School of Economics) Manchester and St.Andrews.)
No unearned diplomas here.
The first Director of the institution will be Vanessa Whay, an education expert who graduated from Cambridge and has over 14 years of teaching experience in countries like Malaysia, Italy and Spain.
Since 1969 the King's Group has successfully exported the British system of education to different regions of Spain like Madrid, Alicante and Murcia.
Speaking at an introductory ceremony at the UK ambassadorial residence, Dr Fry said academic The King's Group seeks to help children and young Panamanian increasingly immersed in a global society reach high levels of professional competitiveness.
Education Minster Lucy Molinarwas on hand to welcome the initiative and sign an agreement between the government and the school.
No one discussed the impact on English spelling, long over shadowed in Panama by Webster with colour as color, and theatre as theater.
The Kings School of Panama will be located in Clayton, Al Street Hospital, close to the Social Security Fund building.
More information can be found on the school’s web site: http://kingscollege.com.pa/index.htm
For consultation or appointment, contact Lindsay Carmody:
lindsay.carmody @ kingsgroup.org
