BSK celebrates achievements with glittering graduation ceremony

The British School of Kuwait (BSK) hosted an impressive graduation ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel on April 17, to celebrate the achievements of their Year 11-13 students.

Following the national anthems of Kuwait and the United Kingdom, Year 12 student Omar Saad delivered a reading from the Holy Quran. This was followed by the first speech of the evening, delivered by BSK Chairman Mr. Sadiq Al-Mutawa during his Welcome Address, focusing on the sentiment: “Our sons and daughters are not just graduates but part of the school family.”

The first Guest of Honour was Dr. Bassm Alfeeli, Founder and General Manager of Orbital Space, who delivered a wonderful speech encouraging careers in science and fostering a love for knowledge.

The school also had the privilege of including a speech from Guest of Honour Dr. Salman Al-lafi, Assistant Undersecretary for Private and Qualitative Education, in the event program. Dr. Al-lafi congratulated the graduates and spoke highly of the school, stating, “The British School is a cornerstone of Kuwait’s educational system.”

The roll of honour included 235 recipients across graduation tiers, along with details of subject prizes and commendations awards. For Year 11, this was announced by Year 11 Year Lead Mr. Eric Tang, Assistant Phase Coordinator Miss Sophie Rees, and Assistant Head Teacher Mr. Stephen Peacock. The Year 12 roll of honour was presented by Assistant Head Teacher Mr. John Leonard, and the Year 13 students were announced by Assistant Head Teacher Mr. Kenneth Price.

Another highlight of the evening was the music provided by the BSK Orchestra under the guidance of Director of Performance Music, Miss Emily Jeffcott. This included the playing of “Semper Fidelis” during the graduates’ entrance and Johann Strauss’ “Radetzky March” as they exited the ballroom following their graduation, as well as their excellent rendition of “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder.

In her address, the Principal of BSK, Ms. Emma Bowie, described the diverse educational journeys of our students, emphasizing the importance of a student-centered approach to learning. She also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of school teachers and leaders in maintaining the high standards of education and care at BSK, and expressed gratitude to parents for their ongoing trust and support.

The special awards section provided an opportunity to recognize outstanding individual achievements. Academic Excellence Awards were conferred upon the highest-achieving students in each year group: Emanuella Maria Nistor in Year 11, Farbod Farrokhi Derakshandeh in Year 12, and Luaidh Williams in Year 13.

The Student Leadership Award was given to NupurGupta. The prestigious Head Teacher’s awards were also presented to one student from each of the three year groups: Maryam Abu Rouss (Year 11), Daniel Al-Begain(Year 12), and Head Boy Omar Badr (Year 13).

In her address, BSK Founder and Director, Madam Vera Al-Mutawa MBE, warmly congratulated all graduates on their achievement and spoke passionately about the pride we hold as both teachers and parents. She also expressed her gratitude to parents and families for their continued support and to the entire staff of The British School of Kuwait for their tremendous efforts. Her speech was followed by the awarding of the most coveted award of the evening, the Founder’s Medal of Honour, which was bestowed upon Year 13 student Luaidh Williams, who will be attending the University of Cambridge to study Mathematics later this year.

The penultimate item on the program was the much-anticipated Head Students’ Address, with Head Girl Navika Tewari and Head Boy Omar Badr expressing their gratitude and reflecting on their time at BSK on behalf of the student body. They also shared their hopes and aspirations for the future.

Having moved to a new venue this year to accommodate the increased number of graduates, the Festival of Achievement and Graduation remained a highlight of the school calendar. The rousing finale of the event was the presentation of the Class of 2023-24 by Head Teacher Mr. Simon Amura – a fitting end to celebrate the achievements of an exceptional graduating class.