Best 75 Schools in Antioquia, Medellin Unveiled in Annual Study
The just-released annual study conducted by Colombia-based Sapiens Research Group (SRG) finds that 75 schools in Antioquia — 32 of which are in Medellin — are among the best of the more than 13,000 schools examined in Colombia.
Among the top 75 in Antioquia are bilingual schools including Colegio Montessori, Colegio Marymount, Colegio Aleman, Colegio Theodoro Hertzl (see “Colegio Theodoro Hertzl: Bilingual Education, Cultural Diversity, Great Place,” Medellin Herald, August 24, 2015), Colegio Colombo Britanico, Columbus School, Vermont School, Colegio Canadiense and Colegio Colombo Frances.
The SRG rankings are based in part upon student test scores found in Colombia’s national “Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación” (ICFES) exam, which is similar to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) exams given to students in the United States.
SRG doesn’t rank the best schools numerically (such as “number one” or “in the top 10”) but rather by sub-categories, with “D1” being “highest” and “D10” as “less high.”
Some schools in the SRG ranking meet additional standards, such as ISO-9001, or else were ranked by third parties employing Colombia’s “MRGC” ( Modelo de Reconocimiento de Gestión de Calidad) system, or else met other international certifications.
Those meeting these additional standards were given ratings from “AAA+” (the highest) to “A” (“less high”), according to SRG.
Among the international organizations cited by SRG that qualify or accredit Colombia schools include European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM); New England Association of Schools and Colleges-Council of International Schools (CIS-NEASC); “AdvancED” (North Central Association Comission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI); Southern Association Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS-CASI); International Christian Accrediting Association (ICAA ) and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI); International Baccalaureate (IB); Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA); Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE); Italian Public Education System (SP-It), and Franklin Covey (Fk).
