South Africa’s educational system faces many challenges. As technology, innovation and youth culture have advanced to the stage that children now have access to smart devices that can aid them immeasurably, they’re subject to the practices and systems of education and schooling that were designed for a different era. The recent COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent population lockdowns have amplified the need for change. For much of 2020, students had to conduct their studies remotely, causing the need for traditional models to be broken and highlighting the fact that online learning cannot only empower students but instil in them the desire to take charge of their own education.
The need has arrived to provide students with a holistic education that uses technological advancements, encourages lateral thinking and teaches skills they can take forward into the ever-changing future.
It’s in this spirit that Shaun Fuchs, entrepreneur and long-time educationalist, is launching Centennial Schools in early 2022. As CEO and founder of Centennial Schools, he aims to address the needs of modern school students in this new era of educational change.
It’s becoming more difficult to find genuinely revolutionary reform at the system level in existing schools. It is easier to build a new school than to overhaul an existing one
Shaun Fuchs
CEO and Founder of Centennial Schools.
In a stark break from educational norms, Centennial Schools will address vital aspects hampering South Africa’s current education, new approaches in teaching and – perhaps most important of all – affordability.
Centennial Schools will follow the IEB curriculum of subjects, which is in line with most private schools. It has reworked the traditional school model and will cater for middle school (Grade 7 – Grade 9) and a Senior School (Grade 10 – Grade 12).
The schools have hand-picked each teacher best prepared to work in a re-engineered learning landscape, from both an academic, emotional and physical perspective. Teachers will undergo thorough training prior to the start of the academic year.
Classrooms will be replaced by larger learning spaces where students will use technology, first and foremost, as an amplifier for learning, creating, making, connecting, communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving. No school uniforms will be required, yet a clear and detailed code of conduct supports a strong values-based system that whilst encouraging the individual, ensures natural self-discipline within each student. There are no entrance exams however, each student is required to attend a personal interview with the school Principal. Students will be able to take advantage of unique facilities such as a Student Café, student Lounges, collaborative hubs, and a ‘chill’ hub.
“Teenagers need the opportunity to exercise choice and experiment with independence in ways that ease them into the demands of early adulthood.”
Students will also be offered a plethora of new activities that better address their needs and interests in a world that is ever-changing through technological advancement, beyond recreational interests they can’t find at other schools such as cross-fit, karate, fight-fit, yoga, and a multipurpose sports facility for action sports like basketball, action soccer and volleyball. Traditional activities like debating, public speaking, and drama will also be on offer.
Centennial Schools will be the first series of schools to offer esports through its unique Arena and Gaming Centre. At over 300m2, it is the largest of its kind on the continent. Much in the same way traditional sports at school equip students with skills they could take professionally, esports can open the door for Centennial School attendees to compete in the ever-growing pro esports leagues. To that end, the school is currently negotiating with key role players and suppliers in the gaming industry to supply top-end equipment and for sponsorships.
Perhaps most vitally, Centennial Schools has made every effort to make attendance as affordable as possible, offering a premier education in a mid-fee price bracket. This brings fees for parents and guardians down below many of Centennial’s competitors while offering the same high-quality education to all students. It is with this in mind that Centennial Schools aims to make this standard of private education more accessible.
The first Centennial Schools campus is set to open in Sunninghill, Gauteng in 2022, offering students a brand-new approach to their education, sport and cultural interests, which will equip them for the modern, technologically enhanced world.