Stories
The events that shaped our legacy.
1944 – 1960
Bishop Mackenzie International School began in 1944 as the Lilongwe European School, housed in the Lilongwe Golf Club Hall with just 12 students and one teacher. In its first two decades, the school moved to its present site, expanded its classes, and opened its first hostel, all while Malawi was experiencing profound social and political change. These formative years saw the beginnings of a community that would continue to grow and evolve alongside the nation itself.
1960 – 1980
A time of political change and local growth, 1960–1980 saw Malawi gain independence and Bishop Mackenzie School emerge from the Lilongwe European School, expanding facilities like its first swimming pool and boarding hostel, and beginning to welcome a more diverse student body.
1980 - 2000
A period of rapid expansion and transition, 1980–2000 saw Bishop Mackenzie School grow its infrastructure, introduce computers and the IB curriculum, and establish its own Board of Trustees, marking its independence from the Designated Schools Board.
2000 - 2020
A period of growth and international recognition, 2000–2020 saw BMIS achieve full IB World School status, secure NAESC and ECIS accreditations, and expand facilities with a new swimming pool, multi-purpose blocks, and library extensions. The school strengthened its curriculum with the Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes, while fostering a vibrant and diverse learning community.
2020 - present
At the turn of the millennia, BMIS further embraced it’s international legacy, establishing itself as an international school through accreditation and a shift towards the international baccalaureate program school-wide