The International School of Kenya (ISK) was started by an American, Nancy Ellen Crooks, near Nairobi Hospital in 1967. At the time, it was an American mixed community school.
ISK catered for the education of expatriate children, but in 1970, the United States International University (USIU) bought and renamed it Nairobi International School and relocated it to a 50-acre land in the leafy Kitisuru area — and renamed the International School of Kenya six years later after a joint partnership between the Canadian and US governments.
Today, ISK is one of the priciest schools in Kenya and has elementary, middle and high schools and over 900 students from over 60 countries. For a pre-kindergarten level, one parts with Sh1.57 million in annual fee, besides other charges, while high school costs Sh3.01 million in tuition alone.
ISK also boasts one of Kenya’s largest performance theatres with its 500-seater auditorium being bigger than the Kenya National Theatre!
Notable alumni of ISK include the Ehsani siblings, whose family own the Village Market in Nairobi and the Tribe Hotel, where Hooman Ehsani is Hotel director and Shamim Ehsani is the hotel’s marketing director while Soha Ehsani runs Century City Property Ltd.
Others who went through the American curriculum include Kenya Nut Company MD Mbugua Ngugi, son of billionaire Pius Ngugi of Thika Coffee Mills and Morendat Farm; musician Jason Sibi-Okumu of The Lonely Streets of Boston and son of veteran actor, journalist and teacher John Sibi-Okumu; Java coffee chain’s founder John Wagner; Rand Merchant Bank Corporate Finance Transactor Sharon Koimett; and Walker Kontos Advocates associate, Fahreen Alibhai.
ISK also nurtured the late Reuters photojournalist Dan Eldon, who was killed in Somalia alongside three other journalists - Hos Maina, Anthony Macharia and German Hansi Kraus on July 12, 1993. The Hollywood film, The Journey is the Destination released last year, was based on Eldon’s life.
Then there is also Canada-based President of Minority Women in Business Pamela Ogang; Crescent 360 social media communication partner Gideon Nzukie; Kama Kazi Africa Management consultant Amelieke Verwiel; African Speakers Artists head Azza Satti; Feeding America vice-president Erica Greeley; UN Secretariat legal officer Melony Morgan; University of Virginia School of Architecture Foundation executive director Warren Buford; US Centre for Disease Control epidemiologist; Josh Mott; Australia’s The Royal Women’s Hospital CEO, Dr Sue Matthews; UNHCR senior investigations specialist Jeffrey Giddings; Australia County Court of Victoria senior researcher Sheeana Dhanji and Washington Digital Management consultant, Long Westerlund.
