Kuda Vana's students thrive on a personalized education
Kuda Vana’s Primary school is now in its third year, and we recently received our first round of comprehensive test results that show where each student is now performing compared to other students of the same grade level also home-schooling in the U.S. We are excited to share the results with you!
But first, a reminder of why Kuda Vana’s school exists in the first place. A 2016 assessment of Kuda Vana's students found them to be at least one year behind academically in the public-school system they were enrolled in. Much of this was due to missed schooling, trauma and English as a second language.
Every child, no matter their start in life, deserves a complete education
Further, staff and volunteers observed our students being bullied by teachers, or being forced to stack bricks during school time as there is a strong cultural stigma against orphans. Some of our students were told by teachers that they were “retarded” and would never learn. The vulnerable children in Kuda Vana’s care need an education that emotionally and academically prepares them for a positive secondary school experience, and ultimately a self-sufficient adulthood.
Thus, we launched the Kuda Vana School in 2017 and hired two qualified local teachers to administer an internationally recognized curriculum to our preschool through 8th grade students. Kuda Vana sends our high school students to a variety of private boarding schools based on their academic and emotional needs.
These girls work hard on their studies - in fact one of the scored in the 96th percentile for math, language arts and reading!
Since the inception of our school, nearly all students have caught up to grade level. Further, based on percentile rankings of the California Achievement testing administered last fall, our 3rd-5th graders performed 46% better in reading, language skills and math than their peers who took the same test in the U.S.!
Kuda Vana’s 3rd - 5th graders:
Performed better than 39% of their counterparts in reading, despite ESL challenges (English as a Second Language)
Performed better than 60% of their counterparts in mathematics
Performed better than 44% of their counterparts in language, despite ESL challenges
We plan to administer the test again before the end of 2020 to begin a long-term look at how we can continue to improve educational outcomes for the children at Kuda Vana’s school and prepare them for a successful future in Zimbabwe.
Madame Esther, our 3rd-8th grade teacher, works with a student on his reading.
Recently, Madame Esther, our 3rd – 8th grade teacher, said the following of one of her students:
“Bantu has shown much improvement last term compared to the other terms. He used to have difficulties in math, but [he has improved and tested better than 72% of his counterparts in the U.S!]. There is also a positive change in his behaviour, that is socially and towards school. He now gives full attention when I am teaching and seeks clarity on difficult concepts. He used to not care on whatever mark/ grade he got but now if he doesn’t perform to standard, he is bothered and keeps on trying until he masters the concepts.”
However, to continue the positive outcomes our school has had on our children, Kuda Vana must expand. Currently, one teacher oversees preschool through 2nd grade in one classroom, with 3rd-8th grade being taught in our library and computer lab. We have an additional ten children who will be ready for school next year, with no place to put them.
We desperately need to build an actual school building with two additional classrooms - this will allow more grade appropriate one-on-one teacher time, as well as better use of Kuda Vana’s computer lab and library as a resource rather than a classroom. As part of our expansion, Kuda Vana will also build teacher housing to accommodate an additional two teachers and our on-staff psychologist.