Your Child Isn’t “Broken, Dumb or Wild” They Are Just Misunderstood!

And I’m going to prove it to you and tell you exactly what you need to do right now to help them tap into the greatness that lies within them (it’s easier than you think!)

Dear parent,

What I’m about to share with you is probably the most important message you’ll ever read in your life as it concerns your child and how you can help them tap into the greatness that lies within them…

…irrespective of whether they have been labelled as a slow learner, antisocial, difficult, dramatic, rebellious, wild or even least likely to succeed in life (I’ve heard it all).

And I know it seems too good to be true, so I’m going to back up everything with real facts and a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for you and your child to see it with your very own eyes.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t witnessed it myself.

And that’s why I felt it was my duty to pen this letter and share it with every parent out there who is currently feeling anxious, frustrated, tired or even on the verge of giving up concerning their child’s character and future.

Because let’s face it, the world we live in today is more volatile than it was a decade or even 3 years ago, and only those who have what it takes will succeed…

… and I want your child to be one of them!

But first, let me introduce myself and tell you how all this began.

I’m Zipporah Kamau, a wife, mother to 3 young amazing boys (aged 5, 7 and 12) and currently the headteacher at Ubuntu Junior Academy (the little ones call me teacher Zipporah). I’ve been in the education sector for over 14 years during which time I’ve interacted with many students, parents and teachers. So in 2021, I was looking for a school to enroll my sons in that truly understood what CBC is all about (Competency-Based Curriculum).

As a parent working in the education sector, I felt they weren’t getting the best CBC education where they were schooling.nSo I started researching for the best CBC schools within Kikuyu town which is nearer to our home compared to where they were schooling in the Langata area. I wanted to hit 2 birds with one stone, so to speak – take them to a good CBC school and one that was nearer to our home.

So I did what most parents in my position would do – I asked family and friends.  But my breakthrough came when I searched on Google and an interesting school by the name Ubuntu Junior Academy came up. I decided to pay the school a visit to see if they really lived up to their promise as seen on their website and most importantly, whether they really understood what CBC was.  

To be honest, I was impressed by the school and their understanding and teaching of CBC. The school had just started and as fate would have it, they were in need of well-trained teachers conversant with CBC.

Having worked in the education sector for years and being a CBC consultant, I felt this would be a great opportunity to serve the best way I knew – by helping to mold the next generation. It would also be a double blessing if my kids and I “attended” the same school – they as learners and myself as a teacher. So I sent in my application, went for an interview and got hired!

But NEVER In My Wildest Dreams Would I Have Imagined What Would Happen Next!

I met students who joined us from other schools that had labelled them as “not good enough, slow to learn, antisocial, dumb, difficult, dramatic, rebellious and even wild”, transform in ways that I honestly never thought was possible…

…and I’ve been in the education industry for 14 years!

Their parents were all reporting the same thing…

“It’s Like My Child Has Transformed Into A New Person!”

One such student whose story I would like to share with you is “Tommy” (not his real name, we take the privacy of all our young learners very seriously).

“Tommy” joined us in grade 2 from another CBC school within Nairobi, in 2021 (just when the school started).

Before joining us, he had attended 3 different schools which all labelled him as a “special needs child”.

It was so bad that the teachers from his immediate former school told his parents that he was “unfit for Grade 2”, simply because he was last in his class.

Now, let that sink in for a minute – teachers who really don’t care about your child telling you he/she is unfit for the grade they are in!

Honestly speaking, the only unfit thing in this scenario was their unfair treatment of “Tommy”.

This really hit his mother hard and she would frequently lock herself up in her bedroom and cry, asking God why all this was happening to her innocent son.

As a result of all the “despise” he had gone through in his former schools, “Tommy” joined us when his self-esteem was so low that he couldn’t even do simple things like to button his shirt. 

He was also very poor in taking responsibility and was scared to death of public speaking.

But today as I write this, “Tommy” is in Grade 4 and believe it or not:

• He is leading in his class in academics and happens to be great at planning and research – just give him a project and he will do the research for you. 

• He is very eloquent and knows how to use the right words to express himself.

• He confidently addresses the school assembly and leads the primary section of the school – he is like the head boy (though we don’t have an official title for that). 

• He’s very responsible and organized, taking pride in everything he does. 

• He is the best violinist we have in school.

• And most importantly, our other students look up to him as their leader!

Frankly speaking, “Tommy” is today a boy you can bank on and we are very proud to have him.

I remember talking with his mother in my office and I almost broke down when she told me that none of the other schools she took her son to accepted him the way we have at Ubuntu Junior Academy.

She and her husband confessed to us that they are now seeing a boy they never knew existed – it’s like another child has been brought to them.

“Joy”

The second remarkable story I would like to share with you is that of “Joy” (again, not her real name).

She joined us in PP1 from another school at 5 years old.

Her parents told us that her former school just couldn’t “accommodate” her anymore and as such, they decided to bring her to Ubuntu Junior Academy after doing a bit of research about us.

“Joy” joined us when she had a lot of anger issues to the extent she would literally bite the teachers and students if she didn’t get her way.

Throwing tantrums and breaking anything she could get her hands on was part of her daily routine.

She would give anyone who dared correct her (including her parents) the silent treatment for days… 

… and you would have better chances of winning the lottery than seeing her smile.

But today as you read this, “Joy” is in Grade 1 and is one of the happiest girls in the entire school.

She is very caring, loves to smile and will eagerly greet you when you meet her. 

She’s simply a delight to see every day.

“Ben”

The third amazing story I would like to share with you is that of “Ben” (again, not his real name).

He joined us in Playgroup at three and a half years, during 3rd term.

He was termed a “discipline case” by his former school which couldn’t handle him anymore.

“Ben” couldn’t settle in class with the other students or listen to anyone, including his parents. 

He wanted to do whatever he wanted, when he wanted… eat what he wanted, when he wanted…play instead of read… 

… and he didn’t want to play with his classmates or even interact with them.

But today “Ben” is a very responsible boy in PP1 who we all take pride in.

He is a big brother to his classmates and will even let the teacher know when someone isn’t doing the right thing.

He’s like the class prefect.

“Nick”

Last but not least, there is “Nick” (again, not his real name).

His parents brought him from a Montessori school because they wanted to prepare him to join a CBC primary school (they wanted him to have a smooth transition).

“Nick” joined us as a very eloquent student who loved public speaking (he always looked forward to it).

However, his main challenge was writing and shaping – he would easily get tired when doing either activity since he wasn’t used to it.

His gross motor skill in terms of writing and shaping had not been sharpened e.g. his pencil grip wasn’t good. 

But it wasn’t his fault. 

You see, the Montessori-based curriculum dwells more on using materials whereas in CBC, we intertwine using materials and writing. 

As much as students do a lot of projects, writing is also a major part of CBC.

Today, “Nick” is in PP2 preparing to join Grade 1 and I can confidently report that his writing and shaping skills have significantly improved, so much so that he now enjoys doing them – it’s pure fun for him.

He even looks forward to attending school every day and would not want to miss even when he is unwell (in such cases we literally have to beg him to stay home so he can get better).

So What’s Our “Secret” To Transforming Learners Who Others Have Given Up On?

Our secret is enshrined in our “Ubuntu” philosophy and it’s so simple, maybe that’s why so many other schools seem to overlook it.

Let me share with you a short story about it:

It’s rumoured that an anthropologist proposed a game to a group of African tribal children. 

He placed a basket of sweets near a tree and made the children stand about 100 meters away.

Then he announced that whoever reaches the tree first would get all the sweets in the basket.

But when he said, “ready, steady, go!” Do you know what these children did?

They all held each other’s hands, ran together towards the tree and divided the sweets equally among themselves.

When the anthropologist asked them why they did this, they replied “Ubuntu”.

This meant – “how can one be happy when the others are sad?”

Ubuntu in their language means “I am because we are”.

And this has been our secret to transforming the lives of “Tommy”, “Joy”, “Ben”, “Nick” and many others who I haven’t mentioned, otherwise this letter would have been very very long.

Whereas most schools “force” their young learners to compete in order to win, leaving behind those who don’t or worse, abandoning them…

… our culture at Ubuntu Junior Academy is very different.

We Focus More On Learning & Celebrating The Uniqueness Of Every Child

And in doing so, we are able to…

Identify Their Unique God-Given Talents At An Early Age And Nurture It Into Passion and Purpose

Being a Christian-based school, we strive to connect, relate and understand all our students without forcing them to be somebody they are not.

We know all our students by name and celebrate their individual brilliance and uniqueness. 

To us, each child is a unique gift from God and we do a good job at letting them know it.

You see, something amazing always happens when a child knows they are known, loved, accepted and cared for.

They let you in and as a result, it’s easy to help them tap into the greatness that lies within them.

What most schools lack are empathy and patience when dealing with their learners.

For example, “Tommy” once told one of our marketing consultants that the teachers in his former school didn’t care.

Let that sink in for a minute!

How can a student who knows that his teachers don’t care do well in such an environment?

No wonder he didn’t do well at his three former schools that had labelled him as a “special needs child”.

And this brings me to my questions for you today:

• Do the teachers at your child’s school care about them or do they just care about you paying school fees?

• Do they care enough to be patient with your child so they can nurture and bring out the best in them?

• Do they care enough to see your child as the unique gift they are from God?

• Do they know your child by name, including the headteacher?

• And most importantly, how does your child really feel about them?

• And if you are currently looking for a school for your child, do you really want to gamble with their life by enrolling them in a school that will label them however they want, even when it’s their fault as a school?

If after answering any of the questions above you feel deep down that you need a better option for your child, then I’ve got some good news for you.

After having a long talk with the school’s management, I was able to convince them to let me invite you and your child for a free school tour so that you can see for yourself the amazing community we have built.

A community that is founded on love, acceptance, respect, trust, excellence and being each other’s keeper.

In fact, we are so confident in the wonderful community we have built that we insist you MUST visit with your child/children.

Bring them along with you at your convenience and see for yourself what I’ve just shared with you.

It doesn’t matter if you want to pay us a visit on Monday at 9 AM, Wednesday at 1 PM or even Friday at 3 PM.

Just pick a school time from Monday – Friday that is convenient for you.

We are also open on Saturdays but up to 12 PM.

And please rest assured that this is a non-binding tour meaning that you don’t have to enroll your child with us.

You can pay us a visit and if it turns out that this is the “long lost home” where your child truly belongs, then you’ll have made the best decision of their life and by extension yours as a parent.

If in the unlikely scenario you visit us and you feel we don’t measure up, then you can enroll your child in another school of your choosing – there will be no love lost 🙂

But you won’t truly know unless you click/tap the button below and book a time to visit us.

You’ll be taken to a page where you will book a date and time to visit the school with your child/children.

Then you’ll give us your details so we can better prepare for your tour.

Only those who fill out their details will be allowed into the school premises – we take the security of our learners very seriously and as such, we don’t allow just anyone to get in.

What To Expect During Your Free Tour

You and your child/children will get to experience first-hand the Ubuntu philosophy in action.

Here is a sneak peek of what you will get to see:

Our amazing learner-friendly classes – Every class has a super comfy carpet at the corner where the students have their “circle time” and morning devotion every school morning. They are also well stocked for each level (e.g. books and toys), have great lighting, are well decorated with both character-building and educational materials, and have super comfy chairs and desks.

Our mouth-watering and highly nutritional meals that all the students LOVE e.g. chicken fried rice, sweet potatoes, plantain chips, smoothies, banana bread, creamy chicken pasta, butternut tortilla, egg sandwich, orange gravied chicken, spinach, and so much more. We provide all our students with 3 meals a day. This includes:

1. 1. Tea time – tea with snacks and sandwiches e.g. tea with pancakes, sweet potatoes, banana bread, tomato sandwich, etc.
   2. Lunch – they enjoy meals such as creamy chicken pasta, Japanese fried rice, beef stew and orange gravy chicken, just to mention a few.
   3. Home time – we give them drinks and snacks just before they go home. You therefore won’t have to worry about your child coming home hungry, they will be good to go until dinner time.

Their “home time” snack includes fruits (those in season), plantain chips, smoothies, sausages, fried spinach, fried cabbage, green salad and the famous Ubuntu pin sauce, just to mention a few.

Note: the snacks, drinks, meals and fruits are different on each day.

Our spacious well-manicured field with well equipped playground equipment – we have a well equipped playground with swings, slides, a playhouse, etc., for the students to enjoy.

The grass is well maintained and provides the students with a soft cushion-like landing whenever they fall as they play e.g. when playing soccer.

Our state-of-the-art computer lab where all our learners go to “play” Whiz-Math – a revolutionary math program that helps students learn mathematics through fun math games.  We have seen students improve significantly in mathematics as a result of it. The students love it so much that they literally beg their teachers to let them go play math games every day.  And even then, they still plead with their teachers to let them play just a bit longer! We currently have learners in the playgroup age doing math for the primary school level, it’s just amazing, to say the least!

And who knows, you might just visit in time to see the kids dancing in ballet, learning taekwondo, skating, playing golf or even going for swimming (they really love swimming).

The above is just a fraction of what you’ll get to see when you visit us with your child/children.

Though let me warn you – your child might not want to go home afterwards 🙂

Remember, all you need to do is to click/tap on the button below, book a date and time to tour the school with your child/children, fill in a few of your details for security measures and that’s it!

You and your child/children will get to experience the breathtaking culture that is Ubuntu.

And one more thing – the school’s management only agreed to allow me to test this crazy idea of inviting you for a few weeks.

As such, this opportunity might be gone in the next few days without notice or warning. 

I tried to convince them to give me a longer period but they were clear about allowing it for only a few weeks. 

They don’t want to allow too many people into the school premises as this will interrupt our current learners, and I agree.

So don’t wait another minute, book a time to tour the school before life gets in the way and you forget…

… or worse…

… before this rare opportunity gets pulled down by the management – then it will be too late even for me to help you.

So go ahead and book a time right now and I’ll see you soon.

And please don’t forget to bring your child/children along. We want you to see them experience the Ubuntu culture.

Remember, you have nothing to lose – the tour is free and there is no obligation on your end.

So what’s the worst that can happen?

See you soon!

Yours faithfully,

Teacher Zipporah.

P.S. I almost forgot, here’s what others are saying about us.