Press
Amala is often talked about in the media. Read the articles and listen to the podcasts that Amala is featured in below.
Amala achieves international accreditation
12 March 2024
The Rooftop News reported on Amala becoming internationally accredited by Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges, as one of their signature “good news” stories.
Read the full article here.
The Amala High School Diploma: an exemplary flexible and relevant learning programme
19 December 2023
The Amala High School Diploma has been featured as a case study by JRS in the 2023 Accelerate with Care: Towards Gender-Responsive Secondary Accelerated Education report. The report was presented at the 2023 Education Campus as part of the Global Refugee Forum.
Read here.
Youth Voices on Secondary Education in Crisis Contexts
11 December 2023
Four Amala student voices (two from Jordan and two from Kenya) have been included in the Secondary Education Working Group (SEWG) report about secondary education in crisis contexts and refugee youth as active agents in shaping policies that directly impact their education. Amala is a member of SEWG, co-led by UNHCR and Plan International.
Read here.
Inclusive and Sustainable Promising Practices in Refugee Education (InSPPiRE): Amala’s work in Greece featured by Refugee Education UK
23 November 2023
Amala’s work in Greece, enabling organisations to provide transformational learning to displaced youth, has been featured in the InSPPiRE report. A case study about the projects, run between August 2021 and September 2022 is also featured on the website and provides a comprehensive overview of this successful work.
Report here.
Case study here.
Amala Education: Bridging the Education Gap
22 November 2023
Amala has been featured on The International Educator’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion blog in a piece about Avant Assessment offering free Stamp 4S tests to Amala students. The article focuses on the experience of Amala students taking the test and how proof of language proficiency can open up opportunities for our graduates.
Read here.
An evaluation of the Amala High School Diploma: analysing its contribution to enhanced livelihood opportunities in Kenya
10 November 2023
Independent researcher Gemma May conducted an evaluation into the Amala High School Diploma in Kenya. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, her research shows that graduates from the Amala High School Diploma demonstrate higher rates of accessing further pathways such as tertiary education and employment compared to non-Amala refugees.
Read a report of the findings here.
Creating international opportunities for Amala students: Avant Assessment and the Global Seal of Biliteracy
6 October 2023
Avant Assessment have written about their experience offering free Stamp 4S tests to Amala students, a step towards being able to earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy. This article focuses on the experience of Amala students taking the test and how proof of language proficiency can open up opportunities for our graduates.
Read here.
Amala on refugee education in the UWC Annual Review 2022
17 May 2023
Amala has been featured in the Refugee Education section of UWC’s 2022 Annual Review, one of three partnerships highlighted in the report. In the section, Amala Co-Executive Director & Founder Polly Akhurst sets out the shortage in education provision for refugee youth, how Amala’s approach addresses the issue, and how the Covid-19 pandemic brought education inequality to light.
Read here.
Pathways to scaling social impact: Amala at Catalyst 2030
2 May 2023
As part of Catalysing Change Week 2023, the world’s largest event led by social innovators and entrepreneurs, Amala Co-Executive Directors & Co-Founders Polly Akhurst and Mia Eskelund spoke on a panel hosted by Spring Impact called “Pathways to scale social impact: what are they and how do you choose one?”. They shared insights from Amala’s scaling up journey and Amala’s unique partner-operated model.
Watch here.
Amala at the Migration Summit 2023
17 April 2023
Amala participated in the Migration Summit 2023, the theme for which was “Co-creating Pathways to Learning, Livelihood, and Dignity”. Amala hosted a session called The Amala High School Diploma: A New Pathway for Refugee Youth, featuring Amala’s Co-Executive Director and Founder and two alumni. One of Amala’s Learning Facilitators participated in a session called “Experiences with Displacement”.
What can we learn from new educational programmes as they forge their own paths?
29 March 2023
Co-Executive Directors & Co-Founders Polly Akhurst and Mia Eskelund are featured on the Perspectives Blog, published by the Council of International Schools (CIS). In Part 1, they discuss how Amala has approached building a collaborative educational community, and in Part 2 they delve into global citizenship, what 21st-century skills look like, and the Amala approach to recruitment and enrolment.
A vocational digital skills course in Kakuma refugee camp: Connecting to learners’ lives
9 March 2023
Amala has partnered with Raspberry Pi Foundation to pilot a vocational digital skills course to displaced youth in Kakuma, Kenya. With input from the Amala team, this article explores how to make computing education meaningful by connecting to learners’ lived experience.
Read here.
Sharing our stories: Striving to empower young refugees through theatre
9 January 2023
Amala partnered with International Schools Theatre Association - ISTA to run an event; 'Staging your story. Changing the world', a hands-on training where our Amala students in Amman, Jordan had the opportunity to work with educators from around the globe. One of ISTA’s educator participants shared his reflections on his experience.
Read here.
On Transformative Education for Refugee Youth
19 December 2022
Members of the Amala team & two Amala High School Diploma students are interviewed on an episode of the Future Learning Design Podcast. They discuss the creation and development of the Amala High School Diploma and students’ experience on the programme.
Listen here.
Young and yern? You need to start a social enterprise
1 December 2022
Amala’s Co-executive director & Co-founder features on the OECD Podcast. The episode explores how young people are seizing opportunities and leading social enterprises across the world and what policy makers can do to help.
Listen here.
Educating Refugees - People Fixing the World
18 October 2022
Amala featured on the BBC World Service. The episode, ‘Educating Refugees’, includes interviews from Co-Executive Director, Polly Akhurst, and students & facilitators from Amala’s Learning Centre in Jordan. The full episode is available as a podcast on the BBC's 'People fixing the world' website.
Listen here.
Providing high quality learning to refugee youth globally
25 April 2022
Amala participated in an online event as part of the National Geographic Learning Europe events series on teaching through crisis. Amala Learning Lead, Holli Ghaisen, Co-Executive Director Polly Akhurst, and Amala Facilitator, Rania Dadoul shared their reflections, experience and advice for supporting refugee youth in Jordan, Kenya and Greece.
Watch the recording here.
From Refugee to Entrepreneur: My Mastery Learning Journey
5 April 2022
Amala alumnus, Majd, has written an article for the Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) Blog about his mastery learning journey on the Amala High School Diploma.
Read the full article here.
Supporting Students Displaced by War
April 2022
Amala’s Co-executive Director & Co-founder, Polly Akhurst, article features in the April issue of International School Leader Magazine. The article xplores what Amala has learned about the complex challenges that refugee children and young people face when continuing their education.
Read the full article here.
An Interview with the First Cohort of UWC Amala Changemaker Foundation Programme Graduates
Graduates from the first cohort of the UWC-Amala Changemaker Foundation Programme, were interviewed by UWC. In the article students discuss their motivation for applying to the programme, the learnings they have taken from it, and their ambitions for the future.
Read the full article here.
Solutions for the Future of International School Education - ISC Edruptors Conference July 2021
Amala’s Co-executive Director & Co-founder, Polly Akhurst, spoke as a panelist at the Edruptors Conference, hosted by ISC Research in July 2021. A recap of the conference was published by The International Educator (TIE) which features Polly’s insight into how international schools can respond to key disruptors within education.
Read the full article here.
100 teens get lifetime support to foster global service work
Christian, a UWC-Amala Changemaker Foundation Programme alumnus, was selected as one of Rise’s 100 Global Winners in 2021. Rise is a global talent programme that finds extraordinary young people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they use their talents to serve others. His selection was featured in an article by the Associated Press.
Read the full article here.
We’re not villains or victims - we’re people seeking a better life
CNN published an inspiring article by Amala alumnus, Nhial Deng, about the realities of life as a refugee and the role of education in providing hope for a better future. Nhial also spoke live on CNN to Larry Madowo, where he discussed the realities refugees face and how we can help in light of the thousands of Afghan refugees resettling abroad.
Read the full article here.
Summer 2021: MTC Member Highlights
Amala is featured in an article by Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC). As a member school of MTC, Amala uses the MTC Mastery Transcript™ for students on the High School Diploma programmes.
Read the article here.
Amala: Bringing hope to refugees around the world
Amala was interviewed by Smarter Communities Media about our progress over the last few years and our plans for the future.
Read the full article here.
Video: The Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow & Partnerships
Amala’s Greece Programme Coordinator, Elissavet Karamichail, is featured in a video by SolidarityNow. The video celebrates Amala’s partnership with Athens Solidarity Centre, where Amala has been running programmes since February 2020.
Watch the video here.
UNESCO-TVET scholarship helps open doors for young Syrian man
Amala High School Diploma student in Amman, Mohammad Shehadat, is featured in the Jordan Times. The article celebrates Mohammad’s scholarship achievements and success in his initiative, Expatriate Student Affairs (ESA).
Read the full article here.
Filling the Urgent Gap in Opportunities for Refugee Youth in 2020: An interview with UWCx Initiative, Amala
Amala’s Co-Executive Directors and Co-founders, Polly Akhurst and Mia Eskelund were interviewed by UWC International. The article features in UWC’s 2020 Annual Review. Amala is a UWCx Initiative.
Read the full article here.
Hope and Opportunity: Amala’s High School Diploma for Young Refugees Takes Flight
UWCSEA features an article about Amala in the December 2020 edition of their Dunia magazine. The article celebrates the many UWCSEA links to Amala, including our UWCSEA student group and volunteers.
Read the full article here.
Amala features in Hellenic Association of Political Scientists Magazine
Amala’s Education Coordinator & Greece Programme Coordinator, Elissavet Karamichail, was interviewed by the Hellenic Association of Political Scientists. Elissavet talks about Amala’s work to provide educational opportunities to displaced youth, particularly in Greece, who are out of school. The article was published in Greek in the Association’s magazine.
Read the full article here.
Amala’s Education Lead, Louie Barnett, speaks to Silver Pi Education Solutions
Amala's Education Lead Louie Barnett was interviewed by Silver Pi Education Solutions in Singapore. Louie discusses Amala's unique education model and our approach to evidence learning and assessments.
Read the full interview here.
Ex-Google CEO Backs Global Refugee Education Initiative With $1.6m Donation
The Rooftop News features Amala and the launch of new foundational education programme for refugee students in Kakuma Camp, Kenya, thanks to a new collaboration with UWC and their partnership with Rise.
Read the full article here.
World Teacher Podcast: Episode #3 Transformative Learning for Refugee Youth
Amala co-founder, Polly Akhurst, and Education Lead, Louie Barnett, discuss Amala’s transformative learning model and Amala programmes in an episode of the World Teacher Podcast.
Listen here.
First High School Diploma For Refugees Launches In The Lead Up To World Refugee Day
KindLink Global announces the launch of the Amala High School Diploma in Amman, Jordan.
Read the full article here.
First Ever School Qualification For Refugees Announced
The Rooftop, the home of positive news worth shouting about, features Amala and the launch of the Amala High School Diploma in its most recent article.
Read the full article here.
Saad AL-Haddad - What is it like fleeing war? Global Questions Podcast
Amala alumnus and former facilitator, Saad Al Haddad, talks about his experience with Amala, both as a student and as a facilitator in Amman, Jordan, in a Global Questions podcast.
Listen here.
#3 Transformative Education for Displaced People. The PilotED Podcast
Co-founder, Mia Eskelund, talks about Amala and creating the first high school diploma for refugee and displaced youth on The PilotED Podcast.
Listen here.
Rethinking Refugee Education
20 March, 2020
Amala’s Programme Assistant, Jessica Rapp, wrote a piece for KindLink Global about the barriers refugees face when accessing secondary education and the launch of the Amala High School Diploma in Amman, Jordan and Kakuma Camp, Kenya.
Read the full article here.
Sky School Shares How They Prevent Displacement And Migration From Blocking Access To Education
12 December, 2019
HundrED Org. celebrated International Migrant’s Day with a feature on Sky School. This year, Sky School was selected as one of the HundrED 2020, which highlights 100 of the brightest innovations in K12 education from around the world.
Read the full article here.
Hopes and Hackathons: Creating the first high school diploma program for refugees
11 December, 2019
Co-founder Polly Akhurst talks us through Sky School’s journey and the steps taken to create the first high school diploma programme for refugees in her piece for The Catalyst Foundation.
Read the full article here.
The Global Search for Education: The Sky’s the Limit for Sky School
20 November, 2019
The Magazine CM Rubin World and The Global Search for Education has featured Sky School in its latest edition. In the article co-founder Polly Akhurst discusses the kind of learning that young people need for the future, and how the Sky School educational model is responding to global challenges in education.
Read the full article here.
Education for Social Change: #3 Interview with Mia Eskelund from SkySchool: making secondary education accessible for refugees
22 September, 2019
In this podcast co-founder Mia Eskelund speaks about herexperience of starting this educational social enterprise, about advice for others who want to get going, and about their educational model that emphasizes lifeworthy learning. If you want to listen to the podcast, have a look here.
Education for Agency: the Key to Creating Opportunities and Building Resilience
27 June, 2019
Co-founder Polly Akhurst wrote a piece for WISE: World Innovation Summit for Education on how agency develops the resilience and creates opportunities for displaced youth. "At Sky School we put the (re)development of agency at the heart of our learning model. Our learners are able to develop their own thinking and put their thoughts into action in a way that they choose to"
Read the full article on WISE’s website here.
Sky School feature in International School Magazine
Spring edition, 2019
“Against an increasingly uncertain geopolitical landscape, and the rise of populism, the importance of international education that transcends national boundaries and focuses more on what which brings us together has never been so important”. Sky School’s course leader and Head of Sixth Form at King Edward’s Witley has written an article about Sky School in the International School Magazine.
Read the full article here (p. 27)
Blue sky thinking redesigns refugee education: A case study in social entrepreneurship
RSA - 25 October, 2018
Rich Davies, support Course Leader for Sky School and Head of Sixth Form at King Edward’s Witley has written an article about Sky School for the RSA, describing how the organisation’s use of design thinking has a positive impact on refugee education.
Read the article in full here.
Collective spirit: Educating refugees - A global crisis
International School Leader Magazine - 4 September, 2018
Sky School co-founder wrote in The International School Leader Magazine about how we are working to build a global high school for refugees, and how schools and educators from all over the world can get involved to support the mission.
Read the article in full here.
The Sky's the Limit
Dunia Magazine / UWCSEA Perspectives - 19 June, 2018
This article talks about how UWCSEA - one of the world's largest and most renowned international schools supports transformational education for refugee youth.
Learn more in the article which is published on UWCSEA's website here.
Creating a Global High School for Refugees
Promising Practices in Refugee Education - 9 March, 2018
Promising Practices is a joint initiative between Save the Children UK, the UNHCR and Pearson, doing incredible work by sourcing, documenting and promoting initiatives in refugee education. In this blog we discuss the ways that our work overlaps with the recommendations made in the Promising Practices report. Read the full blogpost here.
UWCLearn: The Ideas Are Human Edition
Podcast UWC Learn from UWCSEA - 8 December, 2017
In this podcast, Tricia Friedman from the UWCLearn podcast interviews our Director of Education Stuart MacAlpine, alongside colleagues Melanie and Jabiz. They talk about how UWCSEA brings the UWC mission to life through the lens of Sky School, the Daraja Academy in Kenya and the IB Global Politics course. Listen to the full interview here.
Rebuilding secondary education for refugees
Smarter Communities Media - 26 November, 2017
The loss of secondary school education can constitute a huge setback for young refugees but a new initiative is seeking to provide a free online and offline diploma programme. What has been the progress to date and what’s planned? Read the full article here.
Sky School interviewed for Austrian national radio
ORF - 15 September, 2017
"We aim to be serving at least 10.000 refugees by 2025" said co-founder of Sky School, Polly Akhurst when she was interviewed by ORF, Austrian national radio on the topic of refugee education. The interview also featured representatives from Jusoor and Human Rights Watch.
The interview can be found here, and begins at 07.10.
60 seconds on Sky School
Education Investor Magazine - 17 May, 2017
"60 seconds on Sky School - Sky School offers blended learning for refugees in Jordan. We spoke to founders Mia Eskelund and Polly Akhurst". Read the full article here.
Why We Need A Global High School for Refugees
Refugees Deeply - 29 March, 2017
"The founders of Sky School, a new education initiative for refugee youth, explain why secondary students have been neglected among efforts to support refugee education." Read the full article on Refugees Deeply here.