Dubai, United Arab Emirates – GEMS Education students studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) have recorded the best ever results in the group’s 62-year history, performing significantly above international averages. Their outstanding Diploma Programme (DP) results will see them accepted into top universities across the globe. Their achievement comes amid a backdrop of the ongoing pandemic, requiring students and educators to overcome a host of challenges and disruptions.
A total of nearly 600 GEMS Grade 12/Year 13 students sat the IB Diploma. The average point score was 36 this year, compared to the international average of 31.3 in 2020, with a pass rate of 99.5 per cent, significantly above the world average of 85.2 per cent.
The result of this year’s record-breaking, will once more allow GEMS students to attend some of the best universities in the world. These include University of Cambridge and Oxford; Stanford University and Cornell University in the US; University of Toronto and University of British Columbia in Canada; University College Utrecht and Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands; University College Dublin in Ireland, and many more.
GEMS Modern Academy (GMA)
Total IBDP Candidates: 75
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 75
IBDP Pass Rate: 100%
IBDP Average Point Score: 36.9
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 21
No. Students achieving 45 points: 1
Nargish Khambatta, Principal, GEMS Modern Academy, and Vice President – Education, GEMS Education: “What a year it’s been! Our students and teachers have risen to the occasion, and the IBDP results are the best we’ve had since 2016. These outstanding results have endorsed our internal moderation processes and practices, and the students’ IAs were exceptional and helped raise the bar, meaning our students will now get to study at the university of their choice. Congratulations to the global batch of 2021. Everyone deserves a badge of honour for just having gone through the grind this year!”
GEMS Wellington International School (WIS)
Total IBDP Candidates: 100
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 100
IBDP Pass Rate: 100%
IBDP Average Point Score: 37.7
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 32
No. Students achieving 45 points: 3
Maryssa O’Connor, Principal/CEO, GEMS Wellington International School, and Vice President – Education, GEMS Education: “I am delighted with the high standard of results achieved by our IB students. They have worked tirelessly throughout their courses, overcoming many challenges to ensure they are now ready to move on to world-class global university destinations. The expert support and guidance from our teachers at GEMS Wellington International School, alongside parents’ infinite care, ensure students at WIS can achieve their very best. Across IBDP, IBCP and IB courses, students have achieved the highest results recorded at the school, with all headline figures far exceeding the IBO world averages, and three IBDP students achieving a perfect score of 45.
An exceptional score of 52 points is awarded to our Head Boy, Chetan Nair, who completed an additional HL course and achieved a perfect score across every single subject. Chetan is now taking up his place at Standford University to read Astrophysics. With a 100% pass rate and 32% of students achieving 40 or more points, the whole WIS community can be extremely proud of our amazing students.”
Beth Swinscoe, IBCP Coordinator, GEMS Wellington International School: “We couldn’t be prouder on such an incredible day as our Year 13 graduates receive their results. It’s been one of the most challenging experiences for them these past few years, with a number of months working remotely and through blended learning. The students have worked so hard, they’ve put in 100% effort, and it’s really shown in the grades they’ve received. Being able to stand here today and celebrate with them is one of the proudest moments for staff, and also one of the most emotional.
“For these students, this is their opportunity to go out into the world, experience new things, meet new people, and start the careers they’re going to build for the future. And for every one of us at the school, it’s just the most incredible feeling – an opportunity for us to tell the students how proud we are of them, and to remind them of all the work they’ve done. While for the students, it’s a feeling of absolute elation. We’re so, so proud of them and so, so excited to see where they go next.”
GEMS World Academy – Dubai (GWA)
Total IBDP Candidates: 92
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 92
IBDP Pass Rate: 100%
IBDP Average Point Score: 38
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 38
No. Students achieving 45 points: 2
Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy – Dubai: “Our IB results are a remarkable measure of the resilience, fortitude and grit of our students. For the last two years they have had a very disrupted educational provision due to the heart-breaking pandemic. Throughout most of their studies they have had to work within very tight and restrictive protocols to ensure they remained safe and secure while studying. Face masks, social distancing and the huge reorganisation of the school’s day-to-day work have added a layer of complexity and difficulty to their studies. So, it is with enormous pride and pleasure that I can report the terrific success of our students, who have shown that despite these disruptions they have the attitude and character to overcome all barriers.”
GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA)
Total IBDP Candidates: 173
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 172
IBDP Pass Rate: 99.4%
IBDP Average Point Score: 34.2
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 23
No. Students achieving 45 points: 2
Tammy Murphy, Superintendent/CEO, GEMS Dubai American Academy: “GEMS Dubai American Academy is very proud of the graduating class of 2021. This amazing group of individuals has faced multiple challenges, last-minute changes to their learning environment and to their assessment pathway, and yet they continued to thrive. All our graduates should be celebrated for their efforts and achievements during extraordinary circumstances. They learned online, through a blended model, as well as face-to-face, adapting to each with grace and resilience. These students are the epitome of perseverance and grit.”
GEMS International School – Al Khail (GIS)
Total IBDP Candidates: 24
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 24
IBDP Pass Rate: 100%
IBDP Average Point Score: 36.0
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 8
No. Students achieving 45 points: 2
Simon Herbert, Head of School/CEO, GEMS International School – Al Khail: “I am delighted that this year’s graduating students from GEMS International School – Al Khail have gained such an excellent set of IB results. These results, which allow entry to the world’s most reputable institutions, are thoroughly well deserved and reflect the students’ conscientious approach throughout the last two years of school. They have been superb ambassadors of GIS and have modelled our values of respect and trust, while balancing academic work with care for others. We are proud to say that they are learners for life as well as the philanthropic leaders of the future. We wish them the very best for the next stage of their exciting educational journey and look forward to welcoming them back to GIS to share their stories and successes.”
GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis (WSO)
Total IBDP Candidates: 88
Total Candidates Passing IBDP: 86
IBDP Pass Rate: 97.7%
IBDP Average Point Score: 33.8
No. Students achieving 40 or more points: 12
No. Students achieving 45 points: 0
Sarah O’Regan, Principal/CEO, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis: “GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis offers massive congratulations to our IBDP students, who received their results this morning. The upheaval and change that this cohort have endured is unprecedented in the 50-plus years since the launch of this qualification. That they have weathered this and emerged with such a fine set of grades is testament to them, their teachers and their parents. We are extremely proud of all of them, and know they have great futures ahead of them from their time with us.”
Chetan Nair, Age 19, Score 45, GEMS Wellington International School: I was definitely hoping for a 45, and that’s exactly what I’ve got, so I’m really happy! Now that I’ve got my grades, I’ve decided that I’m going to Stanford University in the US. And although I haven’t decided what major, I’ll probably be looking at Computer Science or Physics, or some sort of blend between the two. I’d like to thank all the teachers here at WIS and all the support staff, who have been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the years, and this is definitely something I couldn’t have achieved without their support. Moving on to university is going to be a new challenge with a lot of new responsibilities, new opportunities and experiences to make. But it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.
Arghya Srivastav, Age 17, Score 45, GEMS Wellington International School: I’ll be going to the US to study Mathematics and Computer Science. I’d like to thank all my teachers, especially my maths teacher, for supporting me through this journey. It’s definitely been a lot of hard work, I’ve learnt the value of dedication, but it’s just been a really rewarding journey and I look forward to the future.
Sidharth Hariharan, Valedictorian, GEMS Modern Academy: I’ve just received my IB Diploma results, and I am extremely glad to share that I got a perfect score of 45. My plans for the future are to study pure mathematics at Imperial College London, and hopefully I will pursue a career in academia, going into research and teaching mathematics.
“I would like to thank all of my teachers, all of my peers, but if I had to thank one person in particular it would be our IB Diploma Coordinator, Dr Sunipa Guha Neogi. She has been incredible. There are very few words to describe the kind of support that she has given all of us through this extremely trying and challenging year. She has helped us cope with the challenges of the IB combined with the challenges of remote learning. So, I think it’s been an extremely successful year in no small part due to Dr Sunipa.
“The future will need me to exhibit certain skills, which definitely the IB has laid the foundations for. So, I would like to say that I’m cautious, a little anxious, but still confident that my education has prepared me very well for what lies ahead.”
Gauri Menon, Age 17, Score of 44, GEMS Modern Academy: I’m planning to attend University of Toronto in Canada to study Life Sciences and specialise in Molecular Biology. I’m so pleased to get these results! I’ve had two days of absolute sleepless nights, and I’m glad that the results reflect the work and commitment that I’ve put in. It was nerve-wracking but I was happy to see my friends get their results as well and share this happiness.
It has been a big challenge this year, but we really got together and discussed how to have solutions to these problems and didn’t let anything stand in our way. I’d like to thank all my teachers, they’ve all shown me how to deal with the subjects and love what I’m studying, and because of this I think my performance turned out as well it did.
There are still changes in the future that I will have to prepare for as I step into university and adult life, but I feel that these two years have prepared me on how to cope with change, and I feel that I will have the skills I need to succeed. Leaving school is bittersweet; I won’t be able to sit in these classrooms anymore and have fun with my friends, but I am looking forward to the future, and I hope to come back and meet my old friends and teachers and show them where I’ve got to in life.
Dhruv Aadityaa, from India, Score 39, GEMS World Academy – Dubai: “I’m extremely grateful to GEMS World Academy for the past two years, for the amount of resources and support they provided me to reach this stage. So, I’m extremely thankful, especially towards my higher level teachers for their constant support and guidance, and I’ll always remember them as I proceed through life. I’m planning on doing Law at the University of Durham in the UK, and with the grades I’ve achieved, I’ve satisfied the conditional offer I received in January. I just want to reiterate how grateful I am to GEMS World Academy.”
Leandra Cooper, from France, Score 40, GEMS World Academy – Dubai: “I am extremely happy and I cannot wait to start the next chapter in my life. I’ll now officially be going to university in Amsterdam. I want to thank all of my teachers in the DP programme who have helped me get through it all.”
