Collaborative Learning to build a Learning Community
Within the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community of East Africa there has been a vision of giving the top priority to education. The need has been fulfilled through the establishment of great educational institutions in the region. Jaffery Academy in Arusha, Nairobi & Jaffery Academy and Jaffery Institute of Professional Studies Mombasa and Al Muntazir Schools & A3 Institute of Professional Studies in Dar e Salam are living examples.
There has been formal and informal exchange of ideas and visits amongst these institutions in the past. However a conscious attempt has been made recently between the two well established schools i.e. Al Muntazir Schools Dar e Salam and Jaffery Academy Mombasa. It all started with the request by Al Muntazir’s Management for facilitating a 3 day training program for the Primary teachers on Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers in November 2013.
Mr. Minhas Tejani Principal Jaffery Academy and Mr. Anthony Charo Professional Development Teacher Jaffery Academy jointly conducted the sessions. During the debriefing meeting on the last day Sheikh Shahnawaz Mehdavi CEO A3 Institute of Professional Studies and Mr Mehmood Versi CEO AL Muntazir Schools appreciated the help and on behalf of their team and suggested that if the Senior Leaders of Al Muntazir Schools could visit Jaffery Academy Mombasa in 2014.
Some glimpses of the session
A team of the following 5 Leaders visited Jaffery Academy
in the second week of February 2014:
Mr. Joshe Tom (Head of Academics and Counseling CBE Tanzania)
Mrs Shaimoona Chandoo (Principal Al Muntazir Boys School)
Mrs. Zaheida Alishan (Principal Al Muntazir Girls School)
Mrs Sandeep Kaur (Deputy Principal Al Muntazir Girls School)
Mrs. Zahra Abidi (Deputy Principal Al Muntazir Boys School)
It was an enriching learning experience for both the Academic teams and there was a lot of exchange of ideas. It was further reinforced that the exchange program should continue and should be brought to the level of teachers and students. It was also strongly suggested and agreed that the scope should be broadened to have the other community schools in the ambit so as to learn from each other. Jaffery Academy team invited the Al Muntazir Team to attend the Academic Conference in June 2014.