A First For Education in Namibia: WIS Announces First-Ever MYP eAssessment Results

Windhoek International School (WIS) students have just made history, becoming the first in Namibia to sit and receive results for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) eAssessment. These examinations have now replaced the school’s previously offered Cambridge IGCSEs.

The MYP certificate is an internationally recognised qualification, officially benchmarked by the UK qualifications authority ECCTIS as equivalent to IGCSE grades. For example, an MYP Grade 7 corresponds to an IGCSE A*, Grade 6 to an A, Grade 5 to a B, and so on.

Outstanding First-Year Results

In May’s examinations, the average MYP grade awarded across all candidates was 4.7; for students who achieved the MYP Certificate, the average was 5.2.

To earn the MYP certificate, students must achieve at least 28 points (no grade lower than 3) across eight components: English, a foreign language, mathematics, science, humanities, an interdisciplinary exam, an arts or design portfolio, and a personal project. Each component is graded out of 7.

The school’s average points score was 37.74 (world average: 37.71). For certificate earners, the

average score rose to 41 points, with the highest individual score reaching 49 out of a possible

56. 
    

A Different Kind of Education

Unlike the IGCSE’s content-heavy and paper exam-focused model, the MYP blends rigorous assessment with a student portfolio of real-world interdisciplinary problems and project management. Independent research highlights its unique strengths:

• The UK’s NFER found that the MYP promotes a teaching style and school ethos which fosters independent learning, critical thinking, and civic responsibility;

  
  

• The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) concluded that the MYP better prepares students for the IB Diploma Programme than other equivalent courses.

“This is a proud moment for our students and staff,” said Ethan Van Drunen, WIS Director. “To match and exceed world averages in our very first year offering the MYP is extraordinary.

” Angelina Costa, Grade 9 & 10 and MYP Personal Project Coordinator, said, “Our students will now enter their final two years of secondary education with project management skills. But even more important is the kind of learners the MYP shapes: adaptable, thoughtful, and globally minded.”

Margarete Reiff, High School Principal and College Counsellor, added: “These results prove that Namibian students can thrive in an education system that values both academic excellence and real-world skills.”

Adrian von Wrede-Jervis, MYP Coordinator, concluded: “Our first MYP cohort has set the bar high, showing what’s possible when students are encouraged to think critically, act with purpose, and learn with curiosity. We were successful because WIS teachers are passionate about helping our students apply their skills and make sense of our world.”

With this milestone, Namibia joins 108 other countries offering the MYP — broadening the educational landscape and giving families a powerful, globally recognised alternative to

traditional examinations.

Ends

About WIS

Windhoek International School (WIS) is an IB World school offering the PYP, MYP and International Baccalaureate ( IB) Diploma. The school was founded in 1990 to serve the needs of the international community in Namibia as well as Namibian families who are attracted by the unique international character of the school. WIS aspires to develop the full potential of each student in a stimulating environment of academic excellence, cultural diversity and active social responsibility to become internationally minded and independent thinkers.

For queries, contact:

Ethan Van Drunen, Educational Director of Windhoek International School

Email: evandrunen@wis.edu.na

Phone: +264 61 241783

Website: www.wis.edu.na