You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Zambia with fee information. It includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools and you will find the right school to prepare for International Baccalaureate, and other diploma in Zambia. Schools may follow the American or British curriculums.

Zambia Education

The standard of education in Zambia is variable. Cities like Lusaka provide a higher level, where rural areas have more difficult access to education.

Children are expected to start school at seven and education is free until grade 7. Lower education in Zambia is divided into three levels: primary, junior, secondary and upper secondary. Students are prepared for the Examination Council of Zambia at the end of the grade 7. Grades 8 and 9 are known as Junior Secondary and ends with the Junior Secondary Education Exam, known as the Grade 9 exams.  These scores determine if children will continue their education.

English is the primary language of instruction in Zambian public schools. The school year in Zambia runs from January to December, and is divided into three terms.

International Schools

Education standards at the public level remain below global standards and many international families choose to send their children to international schools, mostly in Lusaka.

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Zambia. There may be some local population, but the schools are geared for an international student body. Schools usually follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, or France. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English. Many schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam. Schools often provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools.

Accreditation

The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is an accrediting body for schools around the world.

Membership in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA), Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) and the Association for School Curriculum and Development (ASCD), Association of Trust Schools (ATS) also provide information about standards and practices.

International Schools in Lusaka

American International School of Lusaka
Address: 487 A/F/3 Leopards Hill Road / PO Box 320176
Lusaka​, Zambia
Tel: 26 (211) 260509
Tuition Rates: $6,000 -  21,430 per year

AIS is a co-educational day school and caters to students children from 3 to 18 years of age. It is on a 25-acre purpose-built campus on the outskirts of Lusaka. It is accredited by CoIS and MSA.

Banani International Secondary School
Address: Plot #2161/B, Maimwene Road
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: 260 966 728303 / 260 211 258905
Tuition Rates: Inquire at the school

Banani International School offers a high standard of education for girls in Zambia. It is a private, not-for-profit residential school from grades 6 through 12. The school is based on based on the principles of the Bahá’í Faith and students attend devotion every Sunday. The Zambian Ministry of Education syllabus is used for grades 8 and 9, who then write the junior secondary school leaving exams at the end of grade 9. Grade 10 is a preparatory year and introduction to the grade 11-12 with University of Cambridge syllabus and preparation for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education or the more advanced Cambridge IT Skills Diploma. Uniforms are required.

International School of Lusaka (ISL)
Address: 6945 Nangwenya Road / PO Box 50121
Ridgeway, Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: 260 211 252291 or 250351
Tuition Rates: $4,608 - 12,808 per year

ISL is an American international school established in 1963. Primary school is made up of the Early Years (Nursery to Year 1) and Upper Primary (Years 2-6) while Secondary School covers Middle School (Year 7-9) and High School (Years 10-13). There are 3 Houses, named after important Zambian rivers, Zambezi (Yellow), Luangwa (Red) and Kafue (Green). It is an International Baccalaureate World School, authorized to offer both the IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). It is accredited by CoIS, AISA and NEASC.

French International School in Zambia

Lycée Français de Lusaka
Address: 1 Teign Rd.Vainona
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: 263 (0) 242 88 22 74
Tuition Rates: €4,592 - 9,436 per year

A French international school opened in 1980. This school falls under the authority of the French Ministry of Education and regular inspections are carried out in order to ensure that French standards and school calendar. There is nursery until terminale including CM2. They use the CNED (National Center for Distance Learning). Uniforms are required.