Our Nova Pioneer Schools in Kenya recently celebrated the Class of 2020 for the exemplary results achieved on their KCSE exams and we do not doubt that the students are ready to take over the world. 

 

From Surviving to Thriving

In 2020, education across the world was abruptly derailed by COVID-19 at every level. In many countries, schools struggled to address the safety of children while also helping them continue to learn and grow. Without a doubt, Nova Pioneer secondary students, in particular,  demonstrated a high level of commitment during the last year, despite the unprecedented disruption and uncertainty presented by the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

The Nova Pioneer Class of 2020 overcame many challenges to post good results and rose above the challenges that came their way. We are encouraged by their performance.

We are extremely grateful to the teaching and support teams who have drawn on their extensive teaching and coaching experience to support all students through this immensely difficult time. The resilience shown by our Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys and Girls Secondary teachers and students is a true demonstration of how we live out our culture principles of High Expectations and Always Growing.

 

Meeting and Exceeding High Expectations

The Nova Pioneer graduates of both the Boys and Girls schools achieved remarkable success.  Our 231 graduates achieved a mean grade of 8.02 (a B-), with both schools achieving that B- average.  77% of the Class of 2020 earned a C+ or higher.  In addition, the Class of 2020 included our first two ‘A plain’ average achievers (one per school), a feat accomplished by less than 0.2% of candidates nationally. 

A particular shout out goes to the women of Tatu Girls Secondary Class of 2020 for setting a strong standard as the school’s founding and graduating class.

 

 

Where to from here?

Our Post School Success team will continue to engage with the Class of 2020 to ensure that every Nova Pioneer student will be ready to pursue their passion through the best post school fit and are ready to take over in their industry of choice.  Already, across the Tatu Boys and Tatu Girls graduating classes of 2020, 

• 7 students  have applied to the African Leadership University, and all have been offered a preliminary admission, pending submission of their KCSE results. 
• 97 students have been admitted to Strathmore University. 
• 2 students have been admitted to York University in Toronto, Canada one of them receiving a CAD 40,000 in scholarship from the faculty of liberal arts.
• One student has been admitted to 3 colleges in the US, with scholarships, and will join Clark University where she received an annual $16,000 scholarship.
• Two students have  applied to UWC (United World Colleges) and been admitted with scholarships.
• One student has  applied to the African Leadership Academy and has been accepted with a $5,000 scholarship. 
• 13 students have participated in the Concourse Global clearing process. 10 students have collectively received a total of 46 admission offers with $272,650 in scholarships.

 

This Is Not the End Of The Journey

Too many schools see their job as developing “smart kids” and focus narrowly on building a student’s knowledge base and academic skills. While that is critically important, Nova Pioneer holds itself accountable to a more holistic “Vision of a Novaneer”: we want to deeply develop our students’ character, capabilities and connection.  We define our success based on a larger set of longer-term goals; we expect our students to excel in exams and attend great universities, build innovations and art, launch new companies, and impact their communities. Ultimately, we want our students to become shapers of a world they envision rather than takers of the world they inherit. 

 

The Future Is In Good Hands

Today, we are again reminded that the mission and vision set out together to achieve as Novaneers, will be felt throughout Africa, and indeed the world, through the impact that our alumni will have as they shape their future around their vision and get ready to take over the world.  We are very proud of all our students and wish them well as they transition into the next stage of their lives.

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 journey and decision to enroll my son Yasin at Nova Pioneer was not an easy one, for lack of better words, I would say it all started in earnest. Assessing some of the traditional factors a lot of families I know consider as metrics in selecting High Schools it was clear that this choice was very unconventional. 

Yasin emerged among the top candidates in the 2019 K.C.P.E exams in Bungoma County. He scored 426 marks and was offered a much coveted spot at The Alliance High School. My friends, colleagues and family members thought I had lost my mind to forego that chance for Nova Pioneer. Most of them had never heard about the school and kept wondering how I would afford it. 

In light of the societal pressure that came with my son joining Nova Pioneer, I have spent the first half of this year reflecting on his experience so far and what he has been able to achieve, and my heart is filled with immutable joy and pride. As much as the Ministry of Education has declared this academic year null, the virtual learning experience he has gained in the past five months will never be taken away from him. He is better prepared for the information age. 

 

Yasin’s Nascent Interests and How We Got Here

 

Since childhood, Yasin has always been very inquisitive and curious about machines. I remember how he would make makeshift airplanes from carton boxes. Yasin’s favourite tv channel has always been the discovery family ‘Ultimate car build off’ Henceforth, I discovered that Yasin had a  passion for engineering. He had the ability to focus and concentrate on his projects for long. 

As a child, he turned our study room into his mini workshop where he would stay all day and late into the night working on his inventions whenever he was not attending school. Having paid close attention to his consistency and resolve, I was always left with many questions: what do I want for my son? Why do I want it? How do I make it happen? It was clear to me that a more unique educational approach would give him better exposure and develop his passion. 

When Yasin was 11 years old his passion for engineering had developed so much that he insisted on going for the National Science and Engineering fair which was held at Kibabii High School in Bungoma. Whenever I would go with him to the school where I currently teach, he was always drawn to the physics laboratory where he would check out the school projects and apparatus.

With the discovery of his interests, it was crucial to find a school that would hold space for his love for building and discovering and further guiding and shaping his curiosity. As an educator, I had been following Christopher Khaemba’s unique education approach from Friends School Kamusinga to Alliance High School and then to The African Leadership Academy in South Africa. With Mr. Khaemba at the helm of Nova Pioneer’s leadership team,  I was confident that Nova Pioneer’s focus on Project Based Learning, innovation and leadership, will add an insurmountable amount of value to Yasin’s life.

 

Making It Work: Overcoming The Hurdles

 

As a family, we were already head over heels in love with the school after bringing Yasin for his interview at the Tatu City campus. It was clear to us after he got his offer that it would be an uphill task to tell Yasin that the cost of attendance at Nova Pioneer would be prohibitive. From the look of things, our modest earnings as teachers would not allow us to foot the cost of Yasin attending Nova Pioneer.

As normal parents would do, we had to pull our resources together and figure out a way to make it work. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Armed with determination and supplemental income from dairy farming and poultry keeping, I joined a merry go round, table banking group of six ladies called Blessed Sisters where we contribute thirty thousand shillings per month. Through the help of this group, I managed to complete the full year fees for Yasin by July.  This has given me much flexibility to plan ahead and ensure that I’m consistently ahead on payments. “No Human is Limited” – Eliud Kipchoge.

 

Learning During A Pandemic.

 

When the government closed all learning institutions in March, learning at Nova never stopped. They simply transitioned to virtual learning. As a teacher in an inadequately resourced school, I was unable to facilitate virtual classes for my students and therefore took this time to attend my son’s online classes. This experience has been nothing short of amazing and eye-opening. The things Yasin is able to do on the laptop make me very happy given he didn’t learn any computer in primary school. 

My personal favorite sessions have been the morning barazas. I vividly recall Dr. Benson Kairu(The school Principal) on one of the barazas talking to the young men about the Marshmallow experiment. It was very gripping to see how his points on exercising patience, self-control, and putting off instant gratification, were delivered in such a simple and relatable yet very practical manner.

I have also learned a lot just by observing the teachers. They have been extraordinarily consistent in their commitment to serve the learners at times, even late into the night. I remember a time when Yasin was doing revision for his midterm exam and encountered some difficulties in his calculations, he immediately sought help from his teacher of Mathematics (Mr. Carlos Ominde) who gave him feedback through email at around 11 pm. He often called Mr.Katumo his teacher of English late in the night for consultation and always got sorted. 

The delivery of lessons has been world-class. Their lessons are always interactive and the teachers always go above and beyond in ensuring the classes, albeit virtual, are conducive for learning. It was very endearing to see how even in the virtual classes, the collaborative approach to learning is adhered to. The break out rooms, class presentations and projects enhance the Joy of learning. My snaps and shout outs go to all F1S1 teachers: Mr.Abucheri, Mr.Hisabu, Mr.Kerabu, Ms.Wafula, Ms.Shanyisa, Mr.Nyamu, Mr.Ngahu, Ms.Kimetto and all the others.

Furthermore, the young men carry out projects either individually or in groups assigned to them by the teachers. The projects have helped Yasin develop research skills and he’s now more capable of doing such things on his own without supervision. The projects that are done as a group have enabled Yasin to embrace the culture principle; greater together. In fact, together with his classmates like Kizito, Okoth and Muhando, they have gone as far as creating their own zoom meetings to discuss and prepare for exams in the evenings. They are now working on the Post School Success Project with Mr.Hisabu as their faculty member.

Through the virtual learning that the school has implemented, I can stand as a proud parent to say that Yasin has developed a high form of discipline and self-startership. He always shows up for all the classes in time and has never missed to put on his uniform even for a single day. To add on to that, the school through the end of term report card has shown that everything that takes place in the classroom counts. This is seen when the report card entails the opener exam, quick quizzes, quizzes, midterm exam and projects. Through this, the young men are able to understand that they need to take everything seriously since they sum up to the final result.

The Nova Pioneer curriculum designers have gone out of their way to support teachers with truly engaging lesson plans. There’s the incorporation of audio-visual resources such as eye-catching videos and pictures. The reading of novels that are not KCSE set texts is worth mentioning. This term for example the Form Ones studied Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. I remember recently when I wanted to buy a cooker Yasin engaged me on the possibility of buying it online. I showed much valid apprehension to his idea as I wanted to see it first before I made the purchase. Yasin was able to draw a relatable comparison with a character from Chinua Achebe’s book that left me tongue-tied. He insisted I should not be like Okonkwo and that I should consider changing with the times! As a teacher of English and Literature myself, this comparison made me proud. It speaks to the level of relatability and relevance the content they are being exposed to really is.

This is indeed a great journey of hope and faith. I am certain that by the time Yasin gets to Form Four, he will have developed tremendously. My prayer is that he later joins an Ivy League University to pursue Engineering. I have faith that through Nova Pioneer’s robust international exposure modules courtesy of the Post School Success Team, he will be able to make it.

I highly recommend Nova Pioneer for any parent out there who has big dreams for their child. Champions are truly made from a desire, a dream and a vision!

 

This lockdown period was unexpected, unprecedented and for many, unfortunate. But through this period our parents, each in their own way have allowed for us to learn far and beyond that which we learn on our daily zoom calls. Below are some invaluable lessons my friends and I have learnt from our parents during this period.

 

Valuable lessons 

 

Despite the situation at hand, never use anything as an excuse to do nothing. Use this opportunity to venture into new things and work hard because opportunity knocks once. – Njoki 

I have learnt that my dad could do household chores and that my mum is a really good cook. But most of all, I have learnt that they both don’t enjoy being in the house for long periods of time.- Fiona 

They have taught me that each morning when you feel like lying in bed all day remember what you are trying to achieve at the end of the day. Give yourself a break from time to time. Give your mind a break. Connect with the people around you, your family and friends. And most importantly, take care of yourself: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. – Ann

Optimism! On some of my lowest days they taught me to look for the light. Perseverance! On the days when I wanted to give up they taught me to keep pushing even when the results don’t come immediately. I’ve learnt that somehow things will work out and if I stop pushing, then I’ll never get to see the possibilities that lie in store for me.- Theru

To keep going, no matter the circumstance. I’ve watched both my parents, especially my mum, make it work, albeit tough circumstances. I watch them try, as much as possible, to ensure that both me and my sister have all our needs attended to, which I have seen to motivate them. And this has made me incredibly proud of them. – Chelsy 

It’s not worth it to feel good today at the expense of tomorrow, neither is it worth it to cry forever and keep holding on to the hope of a smile in the future. That I should think about my future and not lose focus on my passion. To live in the moment but to think of tomorrow as well. – Jasmine 

The importance of adaptability and balance in one’s life – how adapting to different situations has an effect on your work and your life. Balancing work and family which is essential. I appreciate greatly the untimely opportunity to spend time with my family and learn new things from my family. – Paula 

During this time my mum has been tackling household work, taking care of her children while still working from home, which has shown me the importance of hard work. I acknowledge that many of the things my parents provide for me, they worked hard for, and I am beyond grateful for their effort. Watching my mum gives me the strength I need to work hard so I can provide for my future family and later take care of my parents the way they cared for me. – Esther 

I’ve learned that as much as children are a reflection of our parents, we are in many ways different and as much as we also share certain traits we have evolved into completely different human beings that are products of our environment and our nature. So as much as they are our parents, we will argue and differ which is completely in order. – Shirleen

I have learned how to choose my battles with them. Petty issues that we would normally fight over like who does chores and when, have been deemed irrelevant. As seeing how hard they work from home to provide the basic necessities and luxuries has made me appreciate what they do and want to take up more responsibilities to ease the weight off their shoulders. We have bonded through games and pushed each other to achieve our goals. With motivation being lower than usual during this time and the world being full of uncertainties, my parents have kept me in check as their motivation inspires me. – Mutanu 

Quarantine has been a time to reflect and learn. To learn more about my parents and to learn more about myself. I learnt that our family wouldn’t make the greatest choir but I also learned the importance of hard work and perseverance. I learnt a great deal of compassion as they gave knowing that the well could run dry. My mother said “You give not because you have excess, but because someone else needs your help.” – Imani

I have learned that my parents, my parents are not superheroes. My parents worry, they struggle, they have flaws and they feel. My parents are human. – Shakira 

I have learned the importance of selfishness in selflessness. I have learned that to give you must also draw from the well in which you pour. I have learned that in working towards my dreams and ambitions I must care as well for myself. My mum says I am ‘ intense’ but in a good way, that I am devoted and selfless but often I forget to be selfish and in that moment I lose sight of what I want and get caught up in the when’s and the how’s. So the greatest lesson my parents have taught me during this lock down period is to take care of myself amidst taking care of others. – Wairimu 

13 people, 13 families and a lifetime of lessons. We understand now more than ever that parenting does not come with a manual and each of them strives to do their best with no set guidelines and we will forever be grateful for the guidance they provide to us, even as they drive blind. 

‘Without courage, all other virtues lose their meaning’.

-Winston Churchill

Following the recent announcement by President Uhuru Kenyatta in response to COVID-19, all of our Nova Pioneer schools have been temporarily closed since Monday, 16 March. We acknowledge the additional pressure this school closure may have on many of our Nova Pioneer families.

Even though schools are closed, nothing stops Nova Pioneer–learning continues!

What does the school closure mean for Nova Pioneer families – students and parents?

Although the closures came into effect very quickly, Nova Pioneer’s School Leaders activated our remote learning structures and materials for all our students within 72 hours. For our High School students, virtual classes are already taking place and for Primary School families, we have been happy to see the impact of the learning guides.

 

Will there be access to Nova Pioneer schools during this time?

The school will remain closed until further notice with the reopening date communicated at a later stage.

We understand that this is an uncertain and worrying time. We are committed to doing everything necessary to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our students, teammates and the broader community thus, access to the school grounds will not be permitted until further notice. 

We continue to take guidance from the Government of Kenya and global health organisations. Nova Pioneer families will receive ongoing communication with critical details regarding the virus, our community and the school network’s response to ensure health and safety, continuous learning and community leadership.

 

How can we continue to lead in our community?

Throughout history, true leaders have demonstrated grit, resilience and the ability to adapt to challenging times. This holds true to our Always Growing and Solutions First culture principles. While we don’t know exactly how this crisis will play out over the coming weeks and months, we do know that each of us has a choice about how we respond to the changes required of us. As we pull together with the rest of the world towards stopping the COVID-19 pandemic, I wish to remind our Nova Pioneer community that everything is possible when we are creative and think critically of new solutions to the difficult challenges we are facing.

 

Still have more questions?

Should you have any more questions, during the school closure period, please contact us through the details listed under the ‘contact us’ section of the website.

Written by K. Danae Pauli, Managing Director – East Africa.

We are all dealing with new ways of working these days and as we embark on engaging more frequently in the digital arena, virtual meetings have now become a norm — even for sectors and teams where that is not ordinarily the case. As such, we want to ensure that you and your team feel prepared, and that meetings can continue to be joyful and effective.

Here are some simple ideas to support you and your team.

 

First of all – do all the things that make ANY meetings effective

 

Schedule in advance

Check your team’s calendar and schedule meetings in ahead of time. Pick a time that is mutually convenient for everyone who is meant to attend.

Assess how much time you actually need

The default setting for most of our calendars is 1 hour, but first assess: do you really need an hour? Or, you need more than an hour? Make sure the amount of time you’re scheduling matches the agenda..

Speaking of agendas, have one

We are all busy and have lots on our plates – so make sure that you know what you’re covering in each meeting, and either put that agenda directly in the meeting invitation or go over it at the beginning of the meeting so everyone is clear on what’s being covered.

Be clear about next steps: Make sure to end the meeting with deliverables and next steps, when those things are due, and who is responsible.

 

 

5 Tips Especially for Remote Meetings

 

It’s not just what you say… it’s how you say it

Be conscientious of your tone (especially if offscreen) and body language (if video is on). Research says that 55% of communication is body language, while another 38% is tone of voice – we read a lot from what is “unsaid”!

Be present!

Everyone can tell when you’re multi-tasking. Yes, when dialing in from the biggest distracting tools (phones and computers), it can be tempting to check email quickly or respond to that whatsapp message. But treat this like any other face-to-face meeting, and stay focused.

Start with a checkin and end with a burst

These connectivity rituals can be even more important during a time where we’re working remotely. While this may not be necessary for a shorter, more tactical meeting, err on the side of taking the time to continue to strengthen culture.

Pass the baton

If you’re doing a go-around where everyone should answer – ask the person speaking to pick the next person so that sharing happens efficiently.

“Oh sorry, I was on mute”

If you’re taking the call from somewhere quiet, no need to keep your mute button on, as people often forget or take time to “unmute” themselves. However, if there’s a lot of background noise where you are, please stay muted unless you’re speaking.

 

Extra Bonus section… some special tips for using Zoom

 

Seen and heard!

Use headphones to prevent interference, and use video (not just audio) if possible, at least at the start of the meeting. If you want to see everyone at once, you can switch to gallery view in upper right corner.

Share your screen

Depending on what you’re covering, you may find it useful to share your screen. However, don’t forget to close out when you’re done sharing!

Break-out of the norm

Did you know that you can create break-out rooms (how to use breakout rooms) on Zoom? If you need to do a turn-and-talk, or separate a larger group into smaller ones, this feature can be particularly useful

 

And… don’t get caught playing “conference call Bingo”!