On March 15 2020, the Kenyan government announced a national school lockdown in response to the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country and this caused some disruption to the Kenyan Academic Calendar. The students were at this time approaching the end of the first time and looking forward to the April holiday.

Six  months later  Grade 4, Class 8 and Form 4 classes re-opened while other classes awaited their start dates. The disruption to on-campus learning resulted in a change in the Kenyan academic calendar. Schools, students and parents were now going to face a new norm with new term dates.

The ministry of Education announced the new term dates late last year (2020) and this was in an effort to cover the remaining 2 terms from 2020 with the aim of stabilising the school calendar by December 2022. The changes to the calendar may be confusing and this post is written with the aim to help understand what these changes look like practically.

 

Concluding the 2020 Academic Calendar

Term 2 began on January 4th, 2021 (which in the past would have been Term 1 for the new academic year) and ended on March 19th, 2021.  Term 3 for the 2020 Academic Calendar will commence on May 10th and will close on July 25th. The 2020 calendar will close out on July 25th

 

Starting the 2021 Academic Calendar

The first  term of the 2021 calendar will commence on the  26th of July 2021 to 1st October,2021 after which the students will break for a 1 week holiday that will transition them to Term 2 which will start on 11th October,2021 to 23rd December,2021 this will be followed by a 10 day holiday and reopen for Term 3 as from 3rd January 2022, to 4th March.

 

Working to restabalise the calendar

Holidays to mark the end of 2021 Calendar will begin March 5th 2022 and end April 24th, 2022.

The KCPE period will begin March 7th 2022 and end March 10th, 2022. Then finally, the KCSE period will begin March 11th  until April 1st, 2022.

We look forward to welcoming students for the new 2021 Academic Year in July. Nova Pioneer is currently still enrolling for grades in both our Primary and Secondary Schools. To apply for Term 1,  click on (link) To begin the enrollment process for the 2021 Academic year beginning in July, please submit your application here (link)

We continue to follow the Government’s directive on COVID 19, to ensure our students and teammates safety while they are at school. (Link COVID preparedness blog)

 

 

Video Editing is one of the many interest classes offered at Nova Pioneer. Interest Classes are extra courses, in addition to the subject related content, offered to students at Nova Pioneer that equip our students with other lifelong skills needed in the job market. Examples of such courses include; Coding, Chess, Entrepreneurship and Journalism, just to name a few. 

The beauty of the interest courses is that the students select them based on their own interests and skills that they would like to develop. This gives them an opportunity to think about their future and career options based on the skills developed.

I have exercised my video editing skill since 2018 when some of the projects I worked on involved creating videos to tell a story. I needed to work on several videos put together to form one refined video. Some examples of these projects include, a school documentary, appreciation videos, know your Novaneer videos and many more.

I developed my video editing skills over time through research and I have gradually learnt how to bring my clips to life through careful storytelling.  I have learned how to use Adobe Premiere Pro Video Editing, a software that filmmakers use to edit their movies. Through my realization of Adobe Premiere Pro and what it could do, I decided to learn more about it through YouTube tutorials and I am currently able to comfortably edit videos from what I learned.

This skill has enabled me to create informative videos that include the Math Bench,  ‘Know Your Novaneer’, and Appreciation videos for Nova Pioneer. I am currently teaching the Video Editing interest course to 30 students across our Nova Pioneer High School, supported by Mr. Nicolus Kimathi. Our lessons take place daily from Monday to Friday. Video Editing is a fascinating course and students are captivated by it because they are able to express themselves creatively. Our students taking the video editing classes are movie-lovers and we once in a while hear them talk about camera tricks, effects, and graphics that occur in movies and seeing them learn how to apply these effects and graphics on their own has been heart-warming to us as their teachers.

We give assignments to the students in the form of editing their own projects on a bi-weekly basis. With these assignments, we’re able to gauge their understanding and grade them accordingly. An example of an assignment would be, depending on the skills learnt in a particular week, students can get appropriate videos of their liking, edit and join them to create an amazing 3 minute final product and all the learnt skills should be visible in it. As teachers, we use a created rubric to grade their projects.

Filmmaking is a field that is taking over the world and through that, we have watched great movies that have gone ahead to top the charts because of powerful Video Editors and producers that have worked behind the scenes. I am creating awareness in this field to my students who are so passionate about video editing and would want to take this skill to another level when they step into the job market. 

With a lot of passion, and with these skills,  students have different career options at their disposal. Some of them would want to be Online Content Creators, Creative Designers, Film Makers and Multimedia Animators.

 

Our students take…

 

“Hello, my name is Steve Mose, a Form 4 student at Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys. I opted in on Video Editing as it captured my mind as soon as I heard about it. It looked so complicated and yet so simple and I had to know how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, the primary software in the video editing class. As I took on the class I aimed to take my editing skills to another level as I had been dabbling in the art for quite a while. As all new endeavors do, it proved quite a challenge but these challenges only serve the purpose of stimulating improvement, and true to this I soon got the hang of it. So far it has been an amazing class, full of joy and excitement, and definitely one that puts the mind to task. Be that as it may, in the spirit of always growing and higher expectations we strive to reach new heights with each lesson that passes”.

Click on the link below to watch one of our video editing sessions:

It’s March already, where did the time go? It feels like time has literally flown by. It was just the other day when we ushered in the new year. Historically, a new year comes new hope, new expectations and new things to look forward to. Starting this year 2021, I was looking forward to my son Kimondo (Now a Novaneer) joining Play group. This for us had been a long wait especially with Covid 19 restrictions and schools been closed.

 

Reflection

 

As a parent, there are things you look forward to: baby’s first smile, first steps, first birthday, you get the drill; the list is endless. For any parent with a 3 – 4 years old child their first day of school is something that will be forever etch in your memory. So finally, the day came for Kimondo to join school and we were all set camera lights action.  Typical Kenyan style we were ready with our small entourage of mum, dad and aunt but we could have been a much bigger entourage of the extended family were it not for the current restrictions. We got to school, took lots of pictures at the school entrance and at the class door and he was finally taken to class. Let me mention, this went smoothly than I had expected, there were no tears nor kicking nor screaming, we were all calm as we witnessed Kimondo transitioning to a new exciting journey.

“Will, you please stay with me for a little while.”  This is not a story of his first day in school rather a story of Kimondo’s transformation from day 1 of school to this point where the term is almost over. As a family we have seen huge milestones that our son has been able to reach. His character is much changed now. He is more expressive and can now fully communicate. He can now seek attention without throwing a tantrum but by speaking firmly and making sure you are listening to him. For my, soon to turn 4 years old that is such tremendous growth. I now look forward to hearing stories in the evening about how his day was and how he interacted with other kids in his class.

 

Immense Growth

 

His capabilities have also greatly improved. When he gets a chance to be the line leader in his class, he does it with so much joy. He sometimes tells  me, “Mummy I wasn’t able to speak loudly…” but then I encourage him that not all leaders have to shout for people to listen.  He can now complete tasks by first putting away toys, arranging his shoes and generally tidying up at home. He has become more inquisitive in a bid to learn more. This is part of him that I’m really happy to see. We now go on exploration on the weekends and it’s encouraging to see that he is more aware of his environment, plants, birds and insects. If you ask who his best friend is, he quickly says, “Miss Regina!” Snaps to you Miss Regina for all the amazing work you are doing teaching our little ones.

My little boy is not so little any more. He is slowly growing into a kind, mindful, fun, loving, playful boy. He is still work in progress but if his current progress is anything to buy then I’ll continue to trust this process and believe that the best of Kimondo is yet to come.

Each year, for the entire month of March, we pause to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness about women’s equality.  With this year’s International Women’s Day theme being Choose to Challenge, I identified all ways I will apply this theme in my life moving forward. What struck me the most about the theme is how much I am constantly challenged by the young women at Nova Pioneer Girls High School.

 

Super Women

These young women are the perfect embodiment of ‘Choosing To Challenge’. They are brave, outspoken, objective, go getters, supportive of each other and shattering glass ceilings every chance they get. I celebrate them! 

I am challenged by Rehema Kipchumba and Michelle Adika emerging the best nationwide with a project in the Agriculture category in the YSK Online National Science and Technology Exhibition hosted by Young Scientists Kenya late last year. 

I am challenged by Ivy Butichi, who joined Form 1 as a shy girl who wasn’t excited about opportunities to speak in front of her classmates but eventually put in the work and can now confidently give presentations to large crowds. 

I am challenged by Riziki Bailey who over the past 4 years at Nova Pioneer grew into her autonomy and can now stand firm in her beliefs. 

I am challenged by Nduta Gicheru who in addition to bagging her A grades in class, also scoops several awards in competitive swimming.

 

I am challenged by Faith Marindich who proceeded to the Tournament of Champions in Yale after participating in the World Scholars Cup in South Africa in 2019 together with 46 of her schoolmates.

I am challenged by Angela Musomba, who learnt how to fail forward and used the lessons from her failure as stepping stones and eventually got into the Yale Young African Program (YYAS) in 2020.

I am challenged by Jeanne Sere, who founded a social venture, SMILES, that focuses on collecting old uniforms for reusing and recycling, promoting sustainability.

I am challenged by Eudious Jepkoech, who featured in a documentary film, Gogo, written and directed by Pascal Plisson and premiered in Monaco, France in November 2020. 

I am challenged by Ann Cecily and Wairimu Wahome who were accepted to the New York Academy of Science in March 2019 and October 2018 respectively.

I am challenged by Wangui Yiantai who was one of the few Kenyan students to be accepted into the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme for a Biological & Biomedical Science program in July 2019.

I am challenged by the entire Form 4 class, our pioneer class, at our Tatu Girls High Schools for beating all odds against COVID 19, supporting each other, believing in themselves and keeping focused as they prepare for the upcoming Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E ) exams. 

Your turn

I could go on and on naming each and every young woman at our Nova Pioneer Girls High Schools who challenges me to shatter glass ceilings, but there isn’t enough time to do so. Perhaps, you will get to hear more of their amazing stories at one of our Virtual Open Days.  I guarantee you of being challenged.

Remember, you can Choose to Challenge by calling out gender inequality and seeking to celebrate women’s achievements. I now pass on the challenge to you. 

We get the chance in every moment, to make a difference in the world, with the things we teach our children. -Facebook.com/BoomersWellness-

At Nova Pioneer, we believe that our students will grow up to shape the world and for them to grow into thriving adults, we are intentionally about developing our students in three ways;

1. Character
2. Capabilities 
3. Connection

While the school environment has structures put in place that allow students to develop character, capabilities and connections, it’s crucial to establish  how families can be part of this journey and create an environment at home that allows students to experience support not only in their academics but also in their social and emotional development.

Here are some three quick strategies that can help families  implement a conducive environment to help their children thrive in a future that doesn’t exist today.

 

Character

Do you have a set of principles for your family that define desirable character that will help your child thrive while attending school? We have a set of six culture principles that define mindsets and behaviours of our students. These principles help us to hold high expectations, grow from every challenge and seek to serve.

Parents can extend these culture principles into their homes and even add onto them. Parents and teachers have a role to play in helping model good character for children so they become caring citizens of the world all while setting out clear consequences that allow for self reflection for negative behaviour and appreciation of positive behaviour. Remember that the true impact on a child’s character is when you can stand by them and offer guidance  on how to respond to real life situations instead of always telling them what they can and can’t do.

 

Capabilities

At Nova Pioneer, we believe in our students developing high levels of academic mastery and also in their capability to solve problems collaboratively to take on the world with confidence and to create new possibilities for themselves and others.

Parents can create a safe space for their child to discover what they are good at and help support their child through this discovery. This will enable  our children to know that they are capable of learning ,and growing beyond any limitations  and empower them to take on the world with optimism that will help them grow into self aware and assured adults who will thrive in a fast changing world.

 

Connection

“Connection is why we’re here.” -Brene Brown-

Intentionally connect with your child. Find time as often as you can to give them your undivided attention. In a world where children are exposed to a number of influences it’s key to reaffirm, that you have created a safe space for them to share with you their thoughts and feelings without judgment. Your child will learn how to connect with others through your example and this will help them create healthy relationships throughout their lifetime .

Finally, it is key to model what thriving looks like for you as a parent/guardian. After all, children will always emulate and revert to behavior patterns they have seen adults in their lives live out. Spend time doing what you enjoy out of your busy schedule. Take time to play games, travel, listen to music, laugh or whatever else you enjoy to do and be sure to make this process as inclusive as possible  for your child’s proactive participation.

Do you want to learn more about how Nova Pioneer helps build Character, Capabilities and Connections in our students? Sign up here to get details on how you can join our Virtual Open Days and hear from our school teams.

Due to popular culture, and all the heartwarming Hollywood Christmas movies that I watched growing up in Kenya, I have become acquainted with American festivities and this also includes Thanksgiving. Historically this is a time that Americans celebrate with family over elaborate meals such as stuffed turkey to commemorate a day back in Fall 1619 when English Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a celebratory meal together in Plymouth Massachusetts. 

 

A controversial holiday

However, according to a few articles that I’ve read, including one in The Daily Targum, the holiday stays as a reminder of the systemic racism that Native Americans continue to face in the United States. 

The conversation around racism in America has been an ongoing one. Recently however, the Black Lives Matter movement went global following the death of George Floyed in March earlier this year (2020). I believe that this one incident in particular United people Globally as there was a spotlight on social race injustices faced by people of colour.

 

Making a global conversation relevant locally

At Nova Pioneer, we also felt the need to be part of this conversation as it is an important one to have. In an effort to bring it closer home to the continent, the focus of our conversations was on scars of systemic racism with the backdrop of colonialism sadly perpetrated, to some degree, by leaders of today.

Being a school network on the mission to develop leaders and innovators will impact the African century, it was paramount for us as a community of teammates and students to contemplate on this pertinent issue.

To that end, Nova Pioneer set up three voluntary contemplation sessions between July and November that addressed our teammates’ understanding of racism in general, unpacking systemic racism and finally taking action against systemic racism by defining an anti racist Novaneer. 

 

A tough but necessary conversation

Being a facilitator in these sessions was not easy – the stories were hard, painful and sobering albeit necessary. The stories bonded me to my teammates like never before. I walked in their shoes. I had a rare and humbling opportunity to get a glimpse of the covert struggle with the daily challenges of systemic racism faced particularly by my South African teammates. 

Understanding the power of privilege due to systemic racism made me grateful for the liberties that I enjoy in my home country. It made me thankful for some of the right steps that the leaders took in independent Kenya in 1963 that many generations such as myself enjoy today.

Now these conversations did not for a fact change the world around me, BUT they ignited a spark. The hushed conversations came to the light. The mistrust and insecurities were raised openly. Minds began to transform as hearts softened. 

 

An important first step

Did we arrive at a complete solution? No, but we chose to start the journey of a thousand steps in the right direction I believe.

For that reason, this Thanksgiving, I chose to be grateful to be part of an organisation that creates a brave space for these conversations. I chose to be grateful to be living in a year where a pandemic has totally changed the trajectory of how education will be delivered for generations to come. As a Nova parent, I chose to be grateful for the sacrifices made by every teacher to continue to deliver world class education despite the personal inconveniences that came with it. 

 

More reasons to be grateful

To top it all I decided to share 12 heart warming quotes from some of my teammates who share their gratitude for the year 2020. To Hope. To Light. To a new Africa. As Wangari Maathai aptly put it,  ‘I will be a hummingbird, I will do the best I can.’

 

Martha Tubei ~ Eldoret Girls 

‘I have deep gratitude to supportive,caring,dedicated and loving teammates who have shown resilience and patience in service delivery through  the stormy sea of COVID _19.’  

 

Phoebe Muthungu ~ Tatu Primary

‘I am grateful that learning never stopped in Nova Pioneer after schools closed down in March. I am also thankful for the fact that it’s been possible for me to keep in close contact with my students despite not being able to see them physically. Virtual learning has added so much value to my learners and I am very proud of what they’ve achieved this year.’  

 

Grace Mukunzi ~ Tatu Girls

‘I am grateful that during the pandemic I had the opportunity to plug into some free courses that Harvard University was offering. The courses were on Adolescent Mental Health during and after a pandemic. The insights have helped me interact better with our students and support them during the transition  back to school. I also had time to do community service : planted some trees at the Ngong  Road Sanctuary, made marvins for an old people’s home.’ 

 

Pascal Ombango  ~ Eldoret Boys

‘I am grateful that I am an employee of this giant organisation called Nova Pioneer. With all that is going around, Nova has continued to overcome the storms of the pandemic and I am personally grateful because Nova continues to believe in my contributions as an employee and it’s because of that that I am able to put food on the table for my family.’ 

 

Sammy Kegode ~ Global Brand Team

‘During this period and the whole working-from-home situation, I am extremely grateful for the effort that my wife continually puts in making our home a “home.” If it was only up to me there would not be nearly as much love, warmth, laughter, tension-and-release moments😅, visits, appliances😂, freshness, vegetables, and sufurias at home as there are now.’ 

 

Victor Kwambai ~ Operations Team

‘Despite the corona pandemic, I have appreciated the quality time that I have spent with my family and God which has resulted in better communication, spiritual growth and good mental health. Also, in terms of money management, I have learnt to do cost control, reduction of wastage and unnecessary spend.’ 

 

Robert Omondi ~ External Relations Team

‘I am thankful for a community of friends who have turned to family. My idea of what home and family means has evolved over the years and it now encompasses all the people who I share a blood genotype with and those who have been kind and gracious enough to let me stand on their shoulders during the most trying times.’ 

Benard Ongwae ~ Tatu Boys

‘ Inasmuch as the pandemic period has been a period of stagnation to the majority of us, I am grateful that I have been able to make some significant growth. The opportunity to shift to work online, accorded to me by Nova Pioneer, has made me appreciate what solutions technology can offer to the universe, in such difficult times. The belief my manager had in me kept me going, and made me conquer a few more territories. The opportunities and support that the teammates I work with directly, accorded me another great opportunity of growth. I am forever grateful to the Nova Pioneer family.’ 

 

Karl Machado ~ Transport Team

‘It’s been 3years now since I joined the Nova family and what a joy it has been. I am especially grateful for the countless learning opportunities that I have received in those 3 years which have not only helped me grow in my career but also as an individual. The Nova Culture principles have guided,moulded and sharpened me professionally and personally and I pray for more and better days ahead.’

 

Bella Egessa ~ Brand and Admissions Team

‘I am grateful for my family. It has been an emotionally challenging year for everyone but what has been keeping me sane and sparking joy in my life is the random Whatsapp group calls with my siblings. We could literally be speaking about nothing but that’s all I need to put a smile on my face again. We have bonded so much this year because we have the gift of time which is something I’m also grateful for, time to reconnect, rejuvenate and realign with my purpose.’ 

 

Anne Marende ~ Athi River Primary

‘First and foremost,I am grateful to God for protecting me up to this far. All thanks also goes to all Novaneer teammates, parents and my family members for the support, love, comfort, guidance throughout the year. Be blessed.’ 

 

Emmanuel Kamau ~ Global Fee Support Team

‘Like most of us, COVID-19 made me more grateful for having good health. I am grateful for working from home which enabled me to build self-discipline and as a result, I have been able to achieve more than I would have in a normal year. It also enabled me to spend more time with my family since I could work from anywhere.  I am also grateful that I was able to form new friendships and connections with my South African teammates as we worked together to ensure that Nova Pioneer continued to serve our families with excellence.’ 

My name is Sara Teri and I am a parent of a Nova Pioneer student at the Boys’ High School in Tatu City. The journey of searching for a school for my son was very purposeful and I would like to share why I chose Nova Pioneer.

 

How it all began

 

The search for a High School started lightly when Baraka was in class six. Our plan B was the school he was at as it had a secondary school but our plan A was to get an amazing institution that would nurture our son to be a leader, to be curious about the world, to seize the opportunity, to change the world, to be a confident man and still remain grounded in his faith. We solicited advice from friends and family and our final list consisted of schools in various countries across the continent. 

When it came to narrowing down the options, we looked against the elements mentioned above but also against the cost of accessing this education and the experience our son would gain. Our family is adventurous and a bit non-traditional in the way we choose to live, so Baraka studying in boarding school or another country (outside of Tanzania) was not a hindering factor – in fact, it added credit in that he would build personal resilience and character, meet other people and appreciate another culture. However, there was the feedback we received about the newness of Nova Pioneer – Tatu City Campus and whether we wanted to take the risk of taking our son to a school that hadn’t proven itself. 

 

Landing on Nova Pioneer

 

Like mentioned before we were looking for an institution that aligned with our plan A – a place that would nurture our son to be a leader, to be curious about the world, to seize the opportunity, to change the world, to be a confident man and still remain grounded in his faith. With Nova Pioneer, this was already seen in the promotional/communication material on their website and social media.

What was left was to witness that this was aligned to what was actually happening on the ground. And our reassurance came in the student/parent orientation. 

When we settled on Kenya, there was a list of six or so schools we had to look into – those offering the Cambridge curriculum and the National curriculum. Due to distance and not wanting the search process to cost us a lot we were able to secure interviews for 4 of these schools in one go, Nova Pioneer included.

Baraka and I came to Kenya for this exercise as his dad was tied up at work. We were lucky on the visit to have a great taxi guy who was with us the whole week. In this marathon visit, which turned out to be more time-consuming and exhausting than anticipated, Nova Pioneer happened to be the last school to visit.

At this point a friend of mine (an Aunt to Baraka), the Taxi guy (Peter), Baraka and myself attended the Nova Pioneer student/parent orientation session. Beyond the fact that it was a student-led orientation from the gate, what had already enticed us as parents from the get-go from the brochures we had seen was Nova’s motto – developing innovators & leaders who will shape the future. This was embodied by students and teachers alike on the orientation day in everything that was done. Once the four of us (Baraka’s Aunt, Baraka, Peter and I) were in the car heading home, there was a shared silent understanding that we had landed on the school, and no more searching was needed. In the car on the way back, we spoke about our excitement over the school and I must say it was a village decision to settle on Nova Pioneer. 

 

Another factor that sold us from the onset and continues to now is Nova’s connectedness and embrace of technology. It’s been a desire for us that our son catches up with technology-enhanced learning because that is the way of the world now for the younger generation and Baraka did not have this option in his previous school. It’s also proven convenient for us as parents as we are full time working parents and we are based in two different cities but we intensively use our computers and phones for work. When communication comes whether on Class Dojo or WhatsApps or email from Nova, we are assured both of us will get this information. During the closedown period, it’s made it easier for Baraka’s dad to be the primary support for his education even remotely. 

 

Adapting to Change

 

Well, my husband and I both work and we had to work through the COVID-19 period. Also, Baraka has two younger brothers who also had to be at home at this time. The fact that Nova was able to swiftly switch into online learning (I believe it was under a week) helped us a lot in structuring our family life in this time and we are grateful to be part of those who could afford the facilities to support this style of learning for our son. In Tanzania, life went back to normal in June and for the continued online classes at Nova this has meant again keeping our son engaged while his brothers went back to school and us parents resumed full schedules.  

 

Meeting Our Expectations

 

Baraka only joined Nova in January 2020 and had less than four months there before he had to come back home. However, in that time we’ve found that Baraka has become more expressive – he is a very quiet young man naturally (one-liner answers are his thing). But at least now you are able to hear him go beyond this one-line response. He is also beginning to define what he wants and doesn’t want to engage in and this is great for any parent to witness. 

As parents, we are reassured in our choice of school. We’ve always given as much importance to non-academic learning as to academic learning as we believe one needs a holistic approach to their growth journey. 

One of the things that had previously frustrated Baraka’s father and I with schools is the lack of parent engagement and lack of communication. Nova does not suffer in these areas. Although for the physical engagements (e.g. Parent Mixers) it’s difficult for us to partake in we see and appreciate the efforts. However, we receive communication constantly – whether it’s our son’s progress via Class Dojo or administrative happenings via email etc it helps us feel confident that our son is the school’s priority as well as we have access and ability to shape and be part of the Nova culture.

One thing we are grateful for the holistic experience a child is bound to get when attending Nova. Under normal circumstances these experiences – a move from traditional learning (teacher knows best, the core subjects/traditional subjects are your ticket out, the learning happens in class only etc) – are found in certain schools and access to these schools mines a hole in your pocket, however, with Nova even the dream to dare pioneer/venture into the nontraditional is already winning enough. 

 

 

What I can say is any parent has to come to Nova with their child and experience it and the story will be over. Period. And we would also add that as parents we really have to interrogate what values we align to and whether the schools we send out children to align to those values. For us, Nova’s ethos aligned with our views of what education should be and family values so it did not take much convincing.  

Additionally, we were comforted by the fact that we found Nova Pioneer had a modest international student body. We were immediately introduced to two students from Tanzania and Baraka has formed a close relationship with one of them and as parents we were also introduced to a family that lives close to us and this support system helped us navigate the visiting days and holidays etc.  Nova Pioneer is still shaping their international student body but in the meantime have been accommodative to meet us where we are at with any hindrances brought by educations system change or physical distance. 

My passion for teaching

 

I am a teacher by choice. Throughout my childhood, I used to listen to the news whenever I had a chance. Most coverages about Africa indicated a continent in trouble. I decided that I needed to contribute to changing this. Then, I had no idea what I was committing to and this led me to be the principal at Nova Pioneer Boys’ Secondary School – Eldoret

It wasn’t until when I was  in Form Two while listening to a motivational speech, where one of my teachers shared the quote; ‘if you want to change a nation, then the way to do that is through improving the quality of education of its people.’ This is what I needed to make up my mind to land on teaching as a career path. This is a choice that I made while young and vowed to pursue it.

When I was in high school, my teacher would task me with remediation as a group leader. All those students in my group would fully grasp the work assigned to me. I realized then that I can teach somebody. 

Before joining the university, I had a choice to make and I asked my parents to guide me on a career choice. However, my father told me that the best advice he would give is that I needed to decide for myself and choose something that I enjoy doing and is easy for me to do. 

I believe that Africa can and will take its rightful place in the competitive global economic arena if we prepare the current generation with the right mindset. I am a Pan Africanist because I believe in the African century.

 

Memorable moments

 

I’m a firm believer in building leaders. One of my students who had just joined the university as an undergraduate was seeking the position of the vice president of the student union and called me to ask for my advice. I told her to go for it. 

She eventually won the seat and made history. It was the first time a first-year student was elected for the second senior-most role of the student governing council. From that time, I have lost track of the number of my students who have served in student councils in both local and international universities. 

Another similar occurrence was when I was in the classroom when the KCSE national results were released in 2014, and I got a ring from one of my students thanking me for changing her life. I got confused. She explained that finally, her talent had an opportunity to thrive. She was a struggling student who we had to tailor teaching approaches to enable her to learn.

She got superior grades in the national examination which enabled her to pursue a career at a college which offers an opportunity for her to explore her talent.  

 

A day in the life of the Nova Pioneer Boys Eldoret campus  Principal

 

I consider myself lucky to be residing within the school compound. I wake up at 5:30 am and get ready. By 6:00 am, I join the young Novaneers for their morning preps and transition with them to the morning tea and Baraza. 

I get the privilege of listening to the young Novaneer leaders as they encourage each other. Eventually, the opportunity to address them which normally assumes the form of a motivational speech to start their day. The end of the Baraza gives way to the first lesson. I take a morning school walkthrough joined by the deans to ensure a good start to the day. I believe that ‘things don’t just go right, they must start right’. I settle back into the office to get some desk time responding to emails. A typical day is a swing between lesson observation, holding feedback meetings with teammates, coaching teachers, and attending other administrative meetings and duties. 

My day ends on a high note in the field with the students having fun playing various games- I play table tennis and badminton. During club days, I get to meet students as they interact through club activities. Even now, given virtual learning, I get to join some clubs like Model United, French and learn how they are progressing, as it is also important that they get to know their principal.

 

People who have influenced my journey

 

Former managing director of Nova pioneer Kenya, Danae Pauli, held my hand and believed in me at a time when I’d little faith in myself. She kept on pointing me to these great people and resource materials I would tap into for my growth in competency and culture.  

Craig Kielburger, a Canadian philanthropist and founder of We Charity. Craig taught me the value of following your heart even when the odds are not to your favor.  

Karren Okari is a lady who held my hand through high school. She took her time to nurture my leadership by giving me a chance to take risks. She eventually gave me a chance to start the Margaret Okari foundation right after my graduation that was an eye-opener and marked the journey to my education leadership

 

Mr. Meraba outside the classroom

 

I am a father of three and enjoy family company whenever I’m not at work. Seeing my two daughters and son grow has been rewarding with lessons on youth that impact my role. 

I also like reading books on leadership and motivation. On average, I read about one book a week when not very engaged. Motivating youth and keeping fit by regular long walks are other things I enjoy doing. 

 

Powering through challenges

 

The current trends with Covid 19 resulting in the loss of substantive on-campus  learning time and the uncertainty about schools re-opening have impacted the school community in ways I had not imagined. My Leading through tough times has been tested more now than ever before. However, Nova Pioneer has a great culture, and when the entire school community lives to the ideals of our culture principles, great things happen. I see growth every day. 

 

My hope for my students

Being the found principal at Nova Pioneer Boys’ School, Eldoret, I have so much hope and aspirations for my students. 

I hope they will go-ahead to pursue careers of their choice, rising to leadership. Others will pursue their talents or business. They will ideate and question every knowledge they gain. Eventually, they will graduate to offer service to humanity. They will do this by harnessing their talent, careers, or business ideas. They will serve the African continent and the world and will be true leaders, Innovators, and job creators. Serving at a time when the call to think on their feet will pay off will propel them to greater heights in transforming the world.

The year 2020 will definitely be a year for books in the education sector across the world. From navigating having to switch to virtual classrooms in record time to grappling with the nuances of teaching within the new dynamics of a rapidly changing world. Schools have had to be on the receiving end of making crucial decisions on what works best for their learners during this time as we await news of reopening of schools. 

With the wake of the official announcement from the Cabinet Secretary of Education that Grade Four, Class Eight and Form Four candidates will be expected to report back to school on 12th October, many educators and families would be ruminating on how to best approach the evolving situations. There’s a myriad of factors to be considered during this period and it is even more crucial that different individual players come together and have open conversations on how to best tackle reopening of schools.

From the micro-level factors involving conversations and practices parents and guardians are having with their children on what their main concerns are, to the macro-level factors that involve conversations institutions should be having with their families about expected changes and how to best prepare for the same. 

It is resoundingly clear that we all need to lean into each other to meet the current moment and best prepare our students and teachers to emerge even stronger amidst the new normal. In our open house webinar session on 7th October, this topic was discussed at length with Gavin Esterhuizen – Executive Head, Nova Pioneer Ormonde Primary, Dr Benson Kairu, School Leader, Nova Pioneer Boys Sec. School, Tatu City, Grace Mukunzi, Dean of Residential Life, Nova Pioneer Girls Secondary School, Tatu City and Agnes Ng’ang’a parent to Pear and Keren (F4, Nova Pioneer Girls Sec. School, Tatu City

You can access the recording of the engaging session by clicking on the link above.

 

If you have sat for a national examination, then you know how this comes with its fair share of societal pressure. Now, imagine what this must feel like for the current Class Eight candidates across Kenya who have to live through the Covid-19 pandemic as they prepare to take their Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination (K.C.P.E). 

There is no doubt that these are unprecedented times for this year’s Class Eight candidates as everyone grapples with the question of whether they are adequately prepared to tackle a national exam. 

At Nova Pioneer, we believe in preparing student capabilities that includes developing high levels of academic mastery to take on the world with confidence and to create new possibilities for themselves and others. As an organization that’s deeply invested in playing our part in ensuring that each child reaches their full potential, Nova Pioneer has put together revision packages to complement the resources already available to Class Eight candidates across the country through their respective schools. 

Our Academic and Learning Design teams have collaborated with external experts to help prepare a comprehensive study schedule and support materials that will enable parents, their children and educators to creatively find solutions to ensure that adequate exam preparation is happening remotely.

Following the school closures, Nova Pioneer families received robust online Learning Packs weekly that were both engaging and easily accessible to the majority of our students. We are excited to share with you some of our materials to support learning in your home. Our hope is that all children can continue their learning journey during this time.

 

What Can You Expect?

 

Short and Interactive Videos across Each subject

These videos will help the candidates build a clear understanding of the most challenging areas across Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Science and Social Studies and Religious Education.

 

Short Quizzes With Detailed Marking Schemes

The short quizzes across the six subjects will mostly tackle the most challenging areas for learners and will be accompanied with marking schemes to aid the revision process.

 

Study/Revision Timetable and Study Tips

As part of the package, you will also be able to access a customizable timetable with base-level foundational tips on how to structure private study time and the optimum times to adhere to. Students and parents will also be able to access tips on how to build a conducive learning environment that will enable them to thrive during their private studies.

To learn more about our K.C.P.E study packs, feel free to email us at admissions.ke@novapioneer.com.

To sign-up for the K.C.P.E study packs, click here to complete the interest form and a member of the admissions team will reach out to you to clarify any questions you may have and with the next steps.