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nka, students haven’t always been through a system that equips them with the necessary qualifications or language skills to make going to these colleges viable. Moreover, in this country we have students of such incredible intelligence and work ethic that, ideally, they should be showcasing their talents at the top ranked universities in the world.
The need for qualifications that open doors to global universities, as well as the challenges of getting into the top traditional schools in Sri Lanka, has led to the mushrooming of international schools in the country that offer British Advanced Level and Swiss International Baccalaureate curricula.
However, these non-subsidised schools are often out of the financial reach of many Sri Lankans, especially top-tier schools with high teacher student ratios that have a history of producing very good grades in standardised exams and placing students at prestigious universities abroad. Therefore, more often than not, it is only via a scholarship that students can hope to gain the necessary qualifications and exposure, and achieve the goal of attending a university overseas.
Personal insight: What I gained from my scholarship
I was lucky enough to receive a two-year scholarship to transfer to Elizabeth Moir School and complete my London Advanced Levels. I could not have afforded to study there without a scholarship. It was a great experience for me, giving me exposure to students from a diversity of backgrounds as well as country origin. The school’s emphasis on extracurricular activities allowed me to grow personally, and I had friends who excelled at debate, ballet, swimming, singing, and other pursuits both domestically and internationally.
I think it is important to remember that scholarships, which do hinge on academic achievement and excellence, also provide an incredible opportunity for personal learning and development. This beneficial effect does not just apply to the scholarship winner, but to every other student in his or her class or year, offering an insight into the immense value of the education that a school provides.
The other factor is that going to a university overseas requires not just excellent academics, but also good all round qualities, confidence, and social and interview skills. Elizabeth Moir helped me develop these vital soft skills as well. Going to Elizabeth Moir School helped me gain admission to Harvard University in the US, and a number of fellow past students followed in my footsteps.
Past scholars have also gained admission to Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Cornell, Imperial and a number of other top rank universities. Furthermore, the school was able to offer us the best advice about where we could gain scholarships.
Nation building: Scholarships contribute to international recognition and economic development
There is an acute need to create scholarships that will remove financial circumstances as a hurdle for talented Sri Lankans looking to study at international schools. These students contribute to the diversity of the classroom, and will go on to study at prestigious universities, contributing to the image, reputation and human capital of their country.
Some schools, like Elizabeth Moir School, offer as many scholarships as they can because they actively seek to make these advantages more freely available. The bottom-line though is that more scholarships are required, and this is where alumni come in. The top private high schools in the United States such as St. Paul’s, Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall offer substantial financial aid supported by alumni to students from lower income brackets. This is a model that alumni from international schools in Sri Lanka could emulate, and at the same time allow them to stay engaged and support their alma mater while contributing to Sri Lanka’s economic development. That is why Sabrina Ghouse, Hashir Milhan, Shehara Jayasinghe and I started the Moir Alumni Scholarship Trust (MAST) in 2014 with the support of other past students of the school.
Breaking barriers: The story behind the Moir Alumni Scholarship Trust
MAST is set up as a non-profit educational trust with a mission to increase access to top-tier secondary education for Sri Lankans. Our goal is to financially support talented and hardworking Sri Lankan students to complete their London Advanced Levels at Elizabeth Moir School, benefit from the resources available at the school, and leapfrog their academic and professional ambitions. MAST is a first in Sri Lanka, and I hope that it will serve as a blueprint for alumni from other international schools to emulate as well.
No student should be deprived a top-tier education because of financial means in this country. If we can organise and support these scholarships, we can help advance the country.
(Hisham Mabrook is a Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy Consulting at EMC Corporation in Boston. He is also the founder of the Moir Alumni Scholarship Trust (MAST). For more information visit www.mast.moir.lk.)
