Message from the Board President

This summer brought another stretch of relentless heat day after day, but I trust everyone in the KIST community enjoyed a fulfilling summer break in their own way.

At KIST, the core of our mission is: “to develop competent individuals with high moral character who make meaningful contributions to our global community.” To achieve our mission at the highest level, we offer the International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Programme (IB DP) during the final two years of schooling. This program equips students not only with advanced knowledge but also with skills directly relevant to university and beyond: logical and critical thinking, creative and analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, communication skills, an international perspective, a commitment to social contribution, and self-management skills, thereby cultivating the capacity to contribute and thrive globally.

A key indicator of how well students have acquired this knowledge and these skills is the results of the DP final examinations held each May. At KIST, to lay the foundation for success in the DP, we also offer the PYP (Primary Years Programme), the LSP (Lower Secondary Programme) designed by KIST, and the IGCSE.

In the previous school year, the Board of Directors set annual educational goals to “further strengthen English language skills for DP success” and to “improve the educational environment by enhancing moral character.” As a result, students’ English proficiency improved significantly in both the Elementary and Secondary Schools.

Additionally, with regards to the development of moral character, the introduction of a ladder system in the Elementary School, along with the active cooperation of parents, led to improvements in the educational environment. And in the Secondary School, many students from grades 6 through 8 were recognized for consistently demonstrating “high moral standards” in their daily conduct.

This year, the Board of Directors has decided to continue focusing on “further strengthening English proficiency”
and “enhancing moral character,” as ongoing goals, while also adding “strengthening critical thinking skills” as a new goal. The term “critical thinking skills” here encompasses logical and critical thinking, creative thinking, analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, metacognition, and ethical judgment.

During the year, we will pursue various approaches aimed at developing students’ critical thinking skills. We kindly ask parents/guardians to support this effort by engaging in thoughtful conversations at home to help deepen children's thinking.

This year, we hope to continue working together—faculty, parents and students—toward achieving KIST's educational goals. We sincerely thank you for your understanding and continued support.