Rami Madani of The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) clues us in on his philosophy of learning and the increasing need for 'future-proof' education today.
In the last decade, Rami Madani has held multiple roles: teacher, International Baccalaureate consultant, examiner, dean, director of learning and – come July this year — the new head of school at the International School of Kuala Lumpur.
Despite the dizzying array of changes he’s experienced this year alone, Rami is optimistic about his new role, falling back on 2 decades of leadership experience across top-ranking international schools in Asia, Europe and Africa.
That’s not to say the challenges of education are the same across the board, as Rami points out. His philosophy, however, remains the same throughout: our success in preparing kids for their future depends on how well we’ve let them develop 21st century skills today.
“To what extent are we really preparing kids for their lives? Not ours, but theirs?” asks the Damascus-born educator who is German by nationality. “It goes beyond just exams and colleges onto civic responsibility, caring for the environment, and contributing to the lives of others.”
Smart as a whip, yet down-to-earth as they come, Rami knows that a vision without a solid plan of action is fruitless. Below, we find out what counts as sustainable, 21st century education to him and how far ISKL has come in implementing it in their community.