Dubai, 16 Dec, 2009 (WAM) - The Raffles International School West and South Campuses, Emaar Educations flagship educational institutions in Dubai, have been awarded the accreditation, as regular member of the Council of International Schools (CIS), highlighting the highest quality standards followed by the schools.

With over 600 member schools and 500 colleges/universities, CIS is the premier organisation in international education for accreditation of schools and best practice development. The CIS Accreditation Service manages a peer to peer Accreditation Programme which encourages school improvement through a process of continuous self-study and peer evaluation.

Accreditation to CIS follows a thorough evaluation of the schools for parameters such as philosophy and objectives, curriculum followed, governance and management, staff credentials, student support services, resources and student & community life.

Mr Boon Yew Ng, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Education, said the accreditation to CIS is a testament to the overall student orientation of the schools to ensure their holistic development.

"It proves that the schools work as per world-class criteria to ensure the total development of the students and highlights their track-record of delivering on the promises. The CIS accreditation is also a mark of our open-door approach to objective assessment for continuous improvement," he said.

The Raffles International School West and South Campuses are leading educational institutions. The West Campus offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) and IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). It is presently a IB candidate school.

The South Campus offers the Cambridge International Primary Years Programme (CIPP) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) A Level programme. Both Campuses offer the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in the Middle School.

The schools, together, have students from over 60 countries, supported by an international faculty. Both schools feature modern amenities all tailored to ensure the all-round personality development of the students.

"With the accreditation, Raffles International School West and South Campuses stand on par with international educational institutions. The accreditation is a true reiteration of the global best practices we follow in line with our integrated development model focused on the holistic grooming of students," explained Mr Ng.

The CIS accreditation brings great value to all members of the school community by serving as a stamp of quality that reflects on the performance levels of the students and the teachers. It also highlights the clear philosophy and growth objectives of the schools.

Emaar Education manages runs eight international schools and nurseries in Dubai; one international school each in both Singapore and India; The Raffles Campus School of Hospitality Management in Dubai, Singapore and Vietnam; and plans to open several new institutions in the region.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2009.