Nova Academies opens first school in Kenya

Nova Academies has announced launch of a unique secondary school in Kenya that will equip entrepreneurial thinkers and leaders with necessary skills for tomorrow’s workforce.

The company operates two world-class schools in South Africa and is admitting Form One students for its first school in Kenya, opening January 2016.

Speaking during the school’s official launch, one of its founders Christopher Khaemba, who is a former Principal of Alliance High School and founding Dean of the African Leadership Academy said the idea behind Nova is to have an institution that gives rise to thinkers.

“Preparing our youth to succeed in the 21st century requires teaching them new skills with a new approach. We will seek to deliver top academic results, strong values and life skills needed to build the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs,” he said.

Oliver Sabot, Nova Group Managing Director and Co-founder said Nova Academies was born out of his experience running training programmes for top companies.

“Having worked with top CEOs across Africa, we consistently heard that the skills lacking in today’s employees are creative problem solving, innovative thinking and strong character. The only way to close this skills gap and prepare the next generation of leaders and innovators is a new approach to schooling.

Leaders are developed by creating and solving real-world problems, not just by rote memorisation that is the focus of too much schooling today,” he said.

Experts agree. A recent McKinsey Africa Survey stated: “Fewer than half of top employers in Africa believe that new graduates are adequately prepared for entry-level positions.”

There is also the feeling in Kenya that our 8-4-4 system encourages rote learning to the exclusion of problem solving, leadership and decision-making skills. Pupils, therefore, do not gain the critical skills and training necessary to thrive in the modern job market.

“Effective leaders need to solve problems creatively, and training them to do so goes beyond having them memorise facts for exams,” Khaemba said.

The teaching approach at Nova Academies is different as it prepares young people to succeed and lead in today’s rapidly-changing world.

“Many of the top jobs today did not exist ten years ago and some careers are becoming obsolete. The people who succeed in this world are those who can creatively solve any problem, who have mastered technology and who have the character to overcome difficult challenges,” Sabot said.

Early adopters such as Bridget, a Nova Academies camp parent said: “We applied to Nova Academies after I was convinced that it is where my child can gain the benefits of a demanding 8-4-4 curriculum with space to be innovative, self driven and to grow in international learning.”

Students who go to Nova will learn by creating and exploring, not just memorising. The learning approach is infused with technology so that students learn to programme computers every term of every year and turn their ideas into reality using 3D printers and other high-tech equipment.

Further, according to Khaemba, the students will not just learn how to use technology rather they will be equipped to design technology and build it themselves.

The school has designed every aspect of the student experience to ensure that graduates are prepared to embrace opportunities and challenges of the 21st century and so that they can transform the future of their communities and countries.

The school, which seats on a five-acre campus, is located just off the southern bypass and applications are currently ongoing for parents interested in securing a spot for their sons.

Hopefully with adoption of this unique kind of teaching we will have the next crop of learners emerge as a generation of leaders and innovators capable of steering our nation through the ever changing dynamics of the 21st century and beyond.