Belonging and a sense of community have always been central to the philosophy of international education. Recently, this philosophy has gained momentum and has moved to center stage. Conceptual explorations are meant to be experienced through global and local lenses, making learning more intentional, relevant, and responsive. This is great in theory. However, in reality, it is a more complex issue.
Across Africa, most international schools still adopt Western-designed curricula. This makes sense, since our student bodies are a mix of local and foreign students. Through these frameworks and curricula, teachers are expected to make learning relevant to the local environment. Very often, the system steps back and expects teachers to navigate this on their own. This is when teachers most often add a local example here, and a cultural activity there. Contextual learning simply becomes an add-on without, in some cases, shaping the students' learning experience.
For authentic connections and belonging to flourish in international schools in Africa, schools must look not only at what they teach, but at how they are led. Through relationships, trust, and inclusive practices that are embedded in school life, a sense of school belonging is built (Noddings, 2013; Allen et al., 2018).
Schools that are truly committed to community, context, and connections must do the work beyond curricula design and frameworks. It should be reflected in our daily actions, in how we collaborate as a local community, where all voices are heard, and how we strive to make our school an integral part of the community and not just exist in it.
However, many international schools in Africa are still led exclusively by non-African leadership teams and structures. Sometimes, leadership teams lack familiarity with local histories, languages, and cultures. Leadership in Sub-Saharan Africa international schools shows evidence of persistent power imbalances between expatriate leadership and local educators, with decision-making frequently disconnected from local knowledge systems and cultural contexts (Deniz, 2025; Gardner-McTaggart, 2018). How do schools claim to be connecting with their communities, while leadership structures may unintentionally not reflect local culture, history, reality, and context? How are possible biases and culture appropriately addressed if leadership teams don’t really know their communities?
Perfect mission statements and changes to curricula are not what authentic community engagement needs. More meaningful representation, deeper trust, and the openness and willingness to engage in collaborative decision-making are what we need.
This is not my stand against internationalism and diversity in leadership. It is more a plea for balance and the strengthening of the shared views within each school, and for international schools to critically look at the historical recruitment pipeline. Also, I am not suggesting that expatriate leaders are predisposed to disconnection, nor that local leadership alone guarantees contextual understanding, but the lack of local knowledge can lead to gaps in contextual responsiveness. Strong schools have leadership structures that reflect and understand the context of their communities.
It is worth noting that perceptions of broader communities do often shape what constitutes an international school and its leadership teams. Stakeholders often expect leadership to look a certain way. However, this further accentuates that foreign (non-African) expertise is more valued. Schools have a responsibility to change the narrative that foreign and Western knowledge is superior. Expertise must be redefined, and intentional leadership pipelines must be built.
How can this narrative be changed? Qualifications should not be defined solely by Western standards. Schools should actively prepare staff for leadership roles rather than assume they are not ready or capable. There is also room for intentionally structured transitional roles. This can include sponsoring local teachers to participate in international leadership courses. The dismantling of the expat versus local compensation packages will go a long way in supporting changing the narrative that “local is lesser.” Schools must also hold parents and board members accountable by actively challenging their biases.
To me, elevating local voices into leadership is more than an act of equity; it is the structural integrity required to fulfill the very promises these schools were built upon.
Janine da Silva is the mathematics department chair at the American International School of Mozambique. Janine has 27 years of experience teaching international baccalaureate math, and has led curriculum writing, design, and assessment writing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-da-silva-0250681a4/
