COVID-19 pandemic brought the education sector and many other annual programs across the world to a stand still. With time, we have had to learn to adapt to the changes and embrace technology to achieve our daily work and educational expectations.

Throughout this period, our students have demonstrated to be true Leaders and Innovators by embracing virtual learning, engaging in virtual competitions and participating in annual programs.

In this respect, we wish to celebrate one of our Form 3 students, Serena Rolloh, who has been participating in Yale Young Global Scholars Program, 2020, YYGS Connect. Last year we had three of our students participate in the program.

This year’s program was held virtually, running from July 5 – July 17, 2020. Serena is one of 1,235 high school juniors from 131 countries and 47 US states and territories able to join the first ever session of YYGS Connect. During the two weeks program, Serena engaged in an intensive and interactive sessions that covered the following areas:

• Applied Science & Engineering/Biological & Biomedical Science (ASE/BBS)
• Literature, Philosophy & Culture (LPC)
• Politics, Law & Economics (PLE)
• Solving Global Challenges (SGC)

Despite the huge time difference, Serena braced the challenge and had to adapt to attending the session in the night and having to rest during the day. She took the challenge with a growth mindset focused on the value of experience to push through the program. Serena was delighted to have participated in this year program and shared with us her reflections:

 

The YYGS Virtual Connect Experience

 

 “Being a part of the program this year has been an eye opening experience for me. Engaging with peers in a culturally diverse environment has allowed me to witness realities that are different from mine. This experience has really pushed me to question my perspectives and has given me the hunger to discover and learn from others. The exposure to a new environment has driven me to adapt new values and become more self-aware. I think all in all this experience enabled me to evolve as a member of the global community.” 

 

Key Takeaway from YYGS Connect, 2020 

 

“Attending the session has helped me think critically about issues that affect not only those in my community but all around the world. I have been able to empathize with others and really understand that everyone goes through struggles.

The experience has greatly shaped the way I look at political, social and economic influences in our daily lives, and how they interconnect.

Constant self-reflection has helped me find a way to respond appropriately in times of unavoidable challenges such as this pandemic; to be flexible and open to evolution.”

We are proud of the efforts our students are putting to propel themselves to international standards by taking opportunities to apply for such great programs. Yale Young Global Scholars Program is an annual program aimed at providing opportunities to students in high school to make global connections and explore their interest in their global issues.

We encourage our students to apply to such programs to ensure that they enhance their progress towards becoming locally rooted global citizens, who will shape the African Century.

It is exactly four months to the day since the first case of COVID-19 was announced in Kenya. Within 48 hours, the Government had announced the closure of all schools – post haste. Many employers also required staff to work remotely, so there we were, all suddenly thrown into the deep end of a new normal. It was initially unsettling, but we quickly fell into a routine with the help of a brilliantly simple schedule from a friend on Facebook.

Since March 13, the last time David (10 years) and Jonathan (7 years) were in school, they have grown in leaps and bounds into big little men whom I often hardly recognize. They mastered the new schedule quickly, which helped them to complete all the exercises in the virtual learning packs prepared by the school by mid-April. 

Since then, they’ve maximized the prolonged period at home to learn new skills – most notably in the kitchen, which is very apt given that they’re trying to eat me out of house and home!😄 I am so impressed with how they are making themselves useful with chores and anything that needs doing in the house. It seems their favourite words nowadays are, “Mum, do you need help with anything?” And, “Esther (our exceedingly gifted housekeeper), what can I help you do?”

 

Identifying Their Unique Strengths & Gifts

 

I’m finding that taking a few minutes whenever possible to teach them something new or do something together, however seemingly mundane, is helping us to know each other even better and giving the boys confidence in their unique strengths and gifts. 

Speaking of gifts, is there anything sweeter than enjoying grilled sweet and sour chicken wings or roast rosemary potatoes made from scratch made by your fast-growing little ones? I could hardly believe how confidently they peeled, washed, halved, parboiled, and seasoned the potatoes after just one trial run with Esther! 

They’ve also learnt how to cook chapatis – all the way from making the dough to rolling and frying. And how to make mandazis using a recipe from their cookery club at school. Thursday was one of their favourite days in school because they had cookery club. I don’t know how to cook chapati or mandazi, but hopefully they’ll teach me soon! They also cook some really good cinnamon French toast. As expertly taught by yours truly 😄.

Meanwhile, the mandazis come in all shapes and sizes 😄. Mine are usually heart-shaped ❤. They serve them with spicy tea for me to enjoy while I’m in an online meeting. And my share of the mandazis is labelled and stowed away safely in the fridge, away from ever-peckish boys! 😂

Between them and Esther, they’ve also taught themselves how to make really tasty bhajias – something we’ve never cooked at home before. Now to learn how to make lasagna. I think that just might win me Mum of the Year in their world!😂. For desserts, they’ve taken making ice lollies to a whole new level. David’s innovation – freezing a lolly made with Ribena and then piercing it in the middle to infuse orange juice to make a two-in-one lolly! Simply brilliant!

 

Taking Initiative..

 

Household chores are quickly becoming a breeze for the boys. They’re in the habit of making their beds, airing their rooms and tidying up their shelves when they notice they’re getting disorganised. What impresses me most is that they take the initiative themselves, especially on weekends, and then report with pride on their accomplishments.

Like when David manages to change the cover on his duvet, a tiresome task even for adults, or Jonathan volunteers to make all the beds on a Sunday! Never mind that he has turned his car bed into a notice board 😄. It’s so humbling to wake up to neatly made children’s beds on a weekend with an offer at the ready, “Mum can we make your bed for you?”

 

Boys will be boys 

 

Boys will be boys, so many times I find them on the roof of the car, relaxing in shorts and vests and with pillows for maximum comfort, reading, completing activity books, or just chatting (gratefully, they’re best of friends). Then the looks on their faces when I get them to wipe down the car of their grimy prints once they’re done – priceless 🤣! The important lesson in this “class” is that when you spend half the week hanging out on the roof of mummy’s car, you spend Saturday morning wiping your dusty little foot and finger prints off said car 😂.

 

Getting Creative

 

Their crafts creativity is also really growing. On Mother’s Day, they not only surprised me with a breakfast tray in bed, but with such thoughtful handmade gifts. David, with a mini-robot made from a cardboard box, toilet rolls, a party mask and ribbon, and Jonathan with a paper megaphone painted a sunny yellow that I can use to yell their names if I need anything. I was under strict instructions not to lift a finger that day. Their gifts have pride of place on my bedroom wall .

Thanks to Esther, they’ve also learnt how to make simple stitches and sew buttons. They practice on recyclable woven bags. 

Then there’s the week they were feeling particularly patriotic and decided to surprise me with a mini-flag of Kenya in our backyard made from old broom sticks and a bandanna. I was blindfolded for my introduction to the new invention 😂. It was such a refreshing and heartwarming sight, the lovingly made flag blowing obediently in the wind. Esther helped them rig it up in a way that they can pull it up and down, just like a real flag.

Don’t ask me how but there’s some cool tech there! I had “caught” them from my bedroom window, hard at work digging and “building” the flag, but I had no idea what they were making and they told me not to ask. The team work involved though was at expert level. 

 

Taking Charge

 

One of the greatest reliefs is how they’ve learnt to take full charge of feeding, bathing and walking their furry “sister” and best friend – Ms. Fluffy Whiskers. Yes, she has a pony tail 😂. This was after an afternoon of serious grooming although we got experts for that. Right now, the boys’ elaborate plans for a “camping” movie night for her birthday are in high gear. She turns one next Saturday😄. Their excitement is palpable. They’ve even got the popcorn seeds lined up, ready to pop! 

 

Boosting their love for reading

 

Let me take credit for stocking up the kids’ bookshelves to keep their fiction reading up and introducing them to audio books. The looks on their faces when they received a new shipment of books – after they had read literally all their story books – was so rewarding.

Discovering audio books (and the use of headphones ) has also been a treasure. They’ve dived into this exciting new virtual space with gusto – David loves sci-fi and devoured Interview with the Robot by Lee Bacon and Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson in a couple of days. Jonathan seems to enjoy the classics. He persevered with all 18 chapters of Anne of Green Gables – 9 hours and 22 minutes of audio book – for about a month, and at his insistence! He is now reading the audio version of Alice in Wonderland. I know – audio books may not be the obvious choice for young readers, but I am banking on this experience boosting their comprehension, storytelling, and hopefully vocabulary skills as they complement with hard copy books for spelling. 

 

Teachable moments

 

Some of my favourite mummy-teaching-boys moments have been unexpected. Like making up and playing a game we decided to call “find the country on the globe” on a random Sunday morning when I hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet. It was so funny showing David how to climb into the house through a window. He then taught Jonathan. These are very important skills that must be passed down between generations!😄

It was so fulfilling to teach Jonathan how to put a nail in a wall and hang up a picture. He had found a canvas painting of an octopus that he had made last Christmas and a sisal artwork that needed to be put up or perish when he was tidying up his reading space. He was so proud of himself when he put them up, and rightly so!👏🏻

 

Family time

 

We’ve caught some really good movies on the random weekday family movie afternoons I like to organise. Some favourites have been A Dog’s Purpose, timeless flicks like Free Willy, and animations inspired by real life events like the 2018 animation – Sgt Stubby: an American Hero, which tells the story of a World War I soldier’s dog. I’ve also introduced “sleepover nights” where we carry the boys’ mattresses and beddings into my room for the night and have a slumber “party”. They love it! 🤗

 

 

I’ve noticed that as we get more accustomed to staying indoors, it’s sometimes a struggle for the boys to get out and play as they sometimes prefer to continue reading indoors or even helping with chores. But they eventually go outside with a little encouragement (read thinly veiled threats😄).

They’re good cyclists and during this time, they’ve increased their stamina so they can do longer distances without struggling. Best part of this – David taught me how to ride a bike! 🙌🏻 You know one of those things you’ve always assumed you knew how to do? Until you tried to and realised you’ve never actually done it? Cycling was one of those things for me!

David was so inspirational about teaching me too, saying, “Mum, you can do it”, when I was unsteadily approaching a bump. No picture for the learner bike rides yet unfortunately. Chief Documentarist aka Mum was busy learning how to not fall off the bike!

The boys have taken advantage of this time to perfect their roller skating. David took the first plunge and helped Jonathan catch up without too many bumps and bruises too! Thankfully, all teeth are accounted for! 😄 Jonathan has also perfected doing press ups – he’s turning out to be a real fitness buff and is now dutifully waiting for his biceps and abs to show up after all his efforts! I have no doubt they will – muscles are beginning to ripple 😄!

Today, I finally summoned the words and courage to tell the boys that school is out for another nearly six months. And that they will still be in their current grades when schools reopen in January 2021. As expected, they were disappointed. But they understand why it’s necessary.

So, we continue to #stayhome #staysafe and #sanitise. Meanwhile, we’re determined to continue making the most of this unusual time, a rare opportunity. So help us God. 🙏🏻

 

Written by: Wakiuru Maina, (current parent at our Nova Pioneer Primary, Tatu City Campus)

 

Social Distance. Quarantine. Virtual Classroom. Fever Gun. Lockdown. Face Mask. Curfew. Zoom Meetings.  These are all words that in the last month most educators have shifted from rarely using to being part of their daily vocabulary. 

A French novelist Andre Gige once said, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”  For most of us, in our new normal we are currently in the middle of the ocean with no shore in sight.  This period is unprecedented, uncomfortable and uncertain and it is important to acknowledge that and allow ourselves the space to process it.  March 2020 is a month where life on The Continent and throughout the world became forever changed.  As a human race, we are left to grieve life as we once knew it and are tasked with rebuilding our new normal.  As educators, we are tasked with not only doing this for ourselves and our families but also for our students.  What story will we tell the next generation about what we did to shape a better future for them during this time?

The impact of the Corona Virus is universal.  This virus does not know nationality, nor tribe, nor race.  Where it does differentiate is along lines of socioeconomic difference.  As an education community, the onus rests with us to not leave children behind, to be their champions no matter their socioeconomic status.  The socioeconomic gap in education has the ability to widen significantly as we build a virtual instructional world.  These students are in more dire conditions than ever before and are at risk of being left far behind their more affluent peers as some students take the world of online learning by storm and others remain at home with no access, struggling to have their basic needs met.  I ask again, what story will we tell the next generation about what we did to shape a better future for them during this time?

We all have stories that illustrate this time for us – for me, a day I will never forget is March 17th, 2020. On this day, I had three different conversations, with educators on three different continents, all asking three different sets of questions about how we proceed forward for students:

 

• 8:00am EAT- Educator Group 1 – Have we ensured that all of our students have devices and data?  Do any adjustments need to be made to the new online timetable?  85% of our students were present in all of their online classes today – how do we get to 100% tomorrow? How are we ensuring that our culture principles are still a part of our students daily life? How are we going to ensure that we are able to coach teachers in the zoom classrooms?  How did online learning engagement go yesterday?  What can we fix today?
• 12:00pm EAT- Educator Group 2 – I hear we are going on full lockdown soon- do our families have enough water and food to get through it?  How do we raise funds to help?  There are 13 kids in that home where there is only one room – what can we provide to keep them engaged and learning during this time? How do we ensure that they don’t fall behind?  A packet will run out and where will the funds come from to keep printing them? How can we shift funds to make sure our kids at least have their basic needs met?
• 5:00pm EAT- Educator Group 3 – Why is everyone doing their own thing?  Shouldn’t there be a stance for all kids in our country during this time? Aren’t we one nation? Some of our kids can get online and some can’t. Is it really fair for me to just keep teaching online knowing that others are falling behind?  Isn’t this the definition of inequity?  

Three phone calls, from three different groups of educators on three different Continents with three different struggles came to my phone. Different, yet similar in that all were rooted in the idea of what does this new world means for our students. What does our support need to look like for them?  What is doing right by them?  The questions of equity versus equality on every call quickly bubbled to the surface. 

I have been asked the question – ‘Is Africa far behind the rest of the world in education in this new world?’.  The truth is not at all.  On many occasions, the innovations that I am seeing in certain schools on The Continent are far surpassing what I am seeing Stateside.  In this new world order collectivism is proving to yield dividends in ways that individualism cannot.  As we discover the new oceans that await us on the other side of COVID-19, we must ensure that our humanity rises to the forefront and not allow our children in the lowest socioeconomic brackets from across the world to fall behind and widen the already wide learning gap.  As you continue to lose sight of the shore I challenge us to discover new and more equitable oceans in the process.  I ask you one last time, what story will we tell the next generation about what we did to shape a better future for them during this time?

Written by London Moore (Director of Schools at Nova Pioneer – Kenya)

‘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.