NOVA Pioneer is celebrating an achievement of its first class of Grade 12s since opening in 2015.
The Nova Pioneer concept is the brainchild of Chinezi Chijioke whose vision is to produce world-class leaders and thinkers in Africa to drive the continent forward.
“We started this journey in 2015 with our first school in Ormonde, South Africa, and I am thrilled to say that we are celebrating our first Grade 12 class.
“It is both exciting and humbling to experience the realisation of a dream, but the biggest point of pride comes from observing who our students have become.
“It has been so wonderful to watch them grow into thoughtful, confident and inspiring young men and women, each with a unique vision for their futures and how they can make the world better,” said Chijioke.
Part of Chijioke’s vision was to offer a holistic education to his students.
“We build the learning experience on three specific pillars: character, capability, and connection, and the class of 2019 exemplify these traits.”
These three tenets have paid outstanding dividends since the schools inception and Chijoke believes that Nova Pioneer has created a solid evidence base upon which to evaluate, and elevate their impact.
“There are so many success stories we can share but a few that stand out in my mind must be Lesedi Mnguni, who has competed for two years in the Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge, was a top 20 finalist in 2018, and a gold certificate recipient in the 2019 competition.
“Additionally, a number of students are currently applying to universities outside of South Africa, including the US,” he said.
Theuns Opperman, head of the senior school at Nova Pioneer, also attributes the success of this first graduating class.
“There is an unapologetic focus on instructional leadership in the classroom which is not found in many South African schools. Instructional leadership essentially means that the deans spend as much time as possible in the classrooms, collaborating with the teachers, to help enhance not only the teaching practices but the learning experience as well,” said Opperman.
“We have a number of culture principles that we adhere to and these are inculcated into the students and we have seen remarkable results. There is a definite can-do mentality from all our students.
“As a result, a number of students from our inaugural Grade 12 class have made a conscious effort to improve their grades, resulting in a much clearer tertiary path, ranging from acceptance to South African universities or writing entrance exams for US colleges,” said Chijioke.
“The journey has required huge effort on the part of every Novaneer – faculty and students alike – and has come with challenges.
“Seeing our students step up and excel, more than they may have imagined, there is no doubt that it’s absolutely worth it.
“But this is just a start – for them and for us. Ultimately, we will measure our success not by where our students are at graduation, but by the lives they lead, the fulfilment they find, and by the impact they have on the world,” concluded Chijioke.
