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T
eneo online school opened its doors three years ago – two years before the word “pandemic” reared its ugly head. Long before the world as we knew it, changed overnight. Of course, Teneo opened its virtual doors for completely different reasons. They knew online teaching was the future; the answer to a rapidly changing and highly mobile world. And, while the pandemic threw traditional schools upside down – with teachers and parents scrambling to rework their thinking and modus operandi – Teneo has been leading the digital teaching and learning revolution in Africa. Unsurprisingly, Teneo’s student numbers rocketed to 5 500 over the past few months, as parents recognised the value of this new schooling model, and migrated there. Catering from Grades R to 12, there are two options open to parents: Teneo School, which teaches the South African curriculum; and Teneo International School offering the British curriculum. Children in Teneo School can learn in English or Afrikaans with the final matric examinations written with SACAI (one of the three examination boards in South Africa). On the British curriculum side, students can achieve their international GCSE, AS and A levels with examinations being done through British international
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TENEO - School of the future
AFRICA’S NUMBER ONE SCHOOL IN THE CLOUD, TENEO, IS A BLEND OF NEW SCHOOL THINKING COMBINED WITH TIMELESS VALUES, AND THE ABILITY TO OFFER A QUALITY, AFFORDABLE EDUCATION TO ANY CHILD, ANYWHERE examination centres. All classes are recorded, and students can replay them. This is ideal if they miss a class or, if they have parents who travel, to access classes – live or recorded – from anywhere in the world. “Digital can enhance the
learning journey, not limit it,” says Paula van Berkel, Head of Academics. Unlike other online schools, Teneo is modelled on a traditional school in one major respect. Just as in a bricks-and-mortar classroom, classes operate on a timetable – school starts at 7.45am,
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and the first class at 8am. All students log in and out of each live class – where they interact with their teacher and peers – write mid-year and year-end exams, produce projects, and parents get school reports. “At Teneo, cross-curricula activities and projects are fostered, so there is a broader understanding of how maths connects to history, or history to geography,” says Paula. “Plus, we are the first school in Africa and possibly the world, as far as we’re aware, to have a Futures Thinking expert working with us to assist teachers with futures thinking and help integrate it into the traditional curriculum.” But more than just curriculum, it is a simple philosophy which underpins Teneo – quality schooling for all, no matter where you are. No Wi-Fi? Teneo has partnered with a satellite internet provider to assist.
