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Abidjan
Tuesday, July 2, 2024

New Director, New ICSA

Ever since I was in third grade at ICSA, I have been hearing rumors about a school upgrade, but sadly it never came. This year ICSA’s newly appointed director, Michael Breece, has finally decided to make a change. Within the span of 2 years, the entire campus will be completely renovated.

What’s Going Down

Due to the outdated facilities, complaints have been frequent. ICSA has a capacity of 600 students, which is relatively small when in comparison to our neighbors, Blaise Pascal, who have 2,700 students. One of the main aims of the renovation is to increase the capacity by 150 students. The football fields will need to be repaired into tip-top condition for the upcoming 2024-25 WAISAL football tournament. As of April 2024, we are currently in the studying phase. From May – June, we will be preparing for the construction process.

Here is a list of the planned renovations for the next two years: 

● Renovation of Upper School classrooms and offices

● Renovation of Early Childhood Center

● Creation of a new Canteen

● Renovation of the Library and Multipurpose room

● New administrative building

● Maintenance building

● Football field and running track

● Campus-wide Landscaping – maximize and manicuring green spaces

● Community areas including a cafe, school shop

What more do I need to know?

Earlier this year, the board finalized the contract with the Project Management Company and the Design and Build companies INGEROP & TGCC for the 2-year program. With an accumulative budget of about 8 million dollars, the project is looking to be very successful. As soon as summer break begins, construction will start in the lower school area.

Credit: International Community School of Abidjan

All the classrooms will be gutted and renovated on the inside. One of the biggest plans is to add a second story to the 2-5th grade classes. This is aimed at increasing the student capacity. As the construction continues into the school year, lower school students will attend classes in “temporary classrooms.” By November 2024, the renovation of the lower school area should be completed.

 “Ground will be broken immediately at the start of the school holiday. The holiday break will be maximized for heavy contraction work to be completed. Work will start in grades 2-5.”

– Michael Breece, ICSA Director

Once the Lower School project is completed, they will move onto upper school along with the other facilities. Plans for an auditorium and an arts center are still in the works but the majority of the school renovations should be completed by January 2026.

Credit: International Community School of Abidjan

The main goal of this project is to “Create a campus that inspires”. Students and staff are extremely excited for the future of ICSA, and the new campus will bring new memories and meaning to the community.

Enjoy watching the transformation evolve as we watch the rumors from the past come true.

Mousa Drammeh
Mousa Drammeh
Mousa is an enthusiastic and hardworking student journalist. He succeeds at sharing unrecognized stories within and surrounding the ICSA community. From sporting events to untold stories, Mousa can write about a wide range of topics. His love and involvement in sports proves to be his forte. Make sure to check the website frequently for his latest published articles.

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