Ex-Alliance head’s Sh0.3m fees Tatu City school opens
Nova Academies has admitted 128 Form One students who report on January 28.
What you need to know:
The investors also plan to open more than 10 such schools in Kenya over the next five years.
Nova has hired Oxford-trained biochemist Joy Kiano as principal.
South Africa-based school Nova Academies, associated with former Alliance High School principal Christopher Khaemba, will admit Form One students to its girls boarding high school at Tatu City on January 28.
The school chain has completed construction of the multi-million shilling complex on 20 acres of land, comprising a dormitory, classrooms, dining hall, administration block and sporting and recreational facilities.
“We have admitted 128 students for the four streams and the waiting list is also growing,” Mr Khaemba said. “The buildings will be ready for occupation on 15th and received approval to start teaching on January 28.”
It admitted the lot of students who sat their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination last year, targeting those who scored above 350 marks.
With fees of about Sh100,000 a term, Nova Academies is targeting students from middle-class households. The investors also plan to open more than 10 such schools in Kenya over the next five years. Nova has hired Oxford-trained biochemist Joy Kiano as principal.
Nova Academies were founded in South Africa with two schools and it first entered Kenya as part of its pan-African expansion plan that would see the establishment of more than 100 schools on the continent over 10 years.
The school’s entry in Kenya highlights the increased interest in the local private education market by international investors, including private equity firms and international educational brands.
The firm said it would integrate the local education system with world-class teaching models “to prepare students to be globally competitive.”
“It’s an enriched 8-4-4 system, is more practical backed with technology and research,” said Mr Khaemba.
Construction — which started in October 2016 — used light gauge steel technology, allowing the developer to speed up works and halve the construction period.
The girls academy is housed at Tatu City — an upcoming 2,500-acre, mixed-use development with residential, commercial and industrial amenities near Ruiru. The development is majority owned by American firm Rendeavour.
Chandaria Industries is also set to build a Sh5 billion tissue paper manufacturing factory after leasing 29 acres of land at Tatu City.
Rendeavour has been involved in court battles with several individuals including former Central Bank of Kenya governor Nahashon Nyagah and billionaire businessman Vimal Shah over ownership of part of the Tatu City land.
“We are not worried about this because we carried out very thorough due diligence with one of Kenya’s top law firms. That due diligence was not just carried out in Kenya but other relevant jurisdictions as well,” group CEO of Chandaria Industries Darshan Chandaria said.
Chandaria chose Tatu due to large scale infrastructure facilities, including reliable power supply, quality roads, water and sewer and drainage networks, he said.
Besides Chandaria, consumer goods maker Unilever East Africa and London-based coffee roaster Dormans have acquired space at Tatu’s 420-acre light industry park.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
