THE year 2020 was an immensely challenging one — but with every great challenge, comes great opportunity. Even the most traditional, well-established institutions are now “building” online schools.
Rethinking education post-Covid means a paradigm shift to online learning. As Covid-19 restrictions impacted school openings worldwide, one thing quickly became clear: teachers, students and parents would need to depend on technology more than ever.
Globally, more than 1.2 billion children in more than 180 countries were out of the classroom. Many schools quickly and admirably pivoted to delivering online learning, leading experts to believe that when life returns to some normality, the online elements will continue to have a firm place in the classroom. But in many cases, the traditional schooling model that incorporates donning a uniform, sitting in a class and following a fixed timetable, might fall away almost entirely in 2021.
Considering this global adjustment and need for innovation, one of Johannesburg’s finest institutions, St Stithians College, announced the launch of an eighth school in its portfolio, St Stithians Online High School, in collaboration with Valenture Institute. This institute is an online high school academic service provider, offering an international curriculum recognised by the world’s leading universities such as Harvard, Oxford and Yale.
St Stithians Online High School’s learning environment will inspire new traditions through the evolution of the educational experience for students. Students will be able to complete all their academic work in a high quality, socially-rich online learning environment, and still have access to the institution’s solid traditions, values and principles.
“I’m very proud of our response to all that 2020 asked of us, and of how quickly our staff and students adapted to new modes of learning. Our online teaching experience has given us exposure to the rich opportunities of the online learning environment, and it is on the back of this experience that we have decided to launch a purpose-built online school,” said Celeste Gilardi, Rector of St Stithians College.
St Stithians chose to partner with Valenture Institute, a globally connected company started by Get Smarter founder, Robert Paddock. The online school students study an international curriculum, with intensive mentor and student success manager support, and graduate as St Stithians College students. They receive a world-class education from anywhere in the world — and no uniforms.
St Stithians Online High School will welcome its first cohorts in July 2021. The online school offers an international curriculum with International GCSEs, AS and A levels qualifications accredited by Pearson Edexcel to students from grade 8 to 13. Fees per month start at R7 150.
The St Stithians Online High School joins the global evolution of the educational experience in a rapidly changing world, by broadening access to learning opportunities for future generations of students. This is an online offering built on a rock-solid foundation spanning 68 years of tradition, values and principles.
In addition, its online students will have the opportunity to study in one of Valenture Institute’s boutique campuses located in Cape Town and Johannesburg. These supervised and bespoke co-learning spaces offer the best of a blended learning environment.
For more information, visit http://bit.ly/SSOS_IOL and quote “IOL” when enquiring for your student.