From High School Teacher to Owning Group of Schools in Kenya and South Africa

Christopher Situma Khaemba a former teacher at Alliance High School has made a name for himself within the education sector in the country.

Khaemba together with his colleagues own Nova Pioneer Group of Schools, which has six learning institutions in Kenya and seven of them in South Africa. 

Over the years, education has continued to be one of the most lucrative sectors, and after retirement, the former teacher wanted to own a school.

The latter was opened on December 11, 2019, and is said to have cost Ksh1.6 billion.

In South Africa, Khaemba and his colleagues own Nova Pioneer Boksburg, Nova Pioneer Midrand, Nova Pioneer North Riding, Nova Pioneer Ormonde, Nova Pioneer Ormonde Secondary, Nova Pioneer Paulshof, and Nova Pioneer Ruimsig. 

Before the venture, he started out as an officer and pilot with the Kenya Air Force. He quit the military in 1984 and became a teacher.

Khaemba joined Alliance High School and taught Mathematics and Physics for 14 years.

During that time, he rose to the rank of principal.

In 1995, he was transferred to Friends High School Kamusinga where he was tasked with restoring the school back to its glory, something he achieved in under 3 years.

In 1998, he was transferred back to Alliance High School still as principal.

Khaemba moved to Johannesburg South Africa in 2008 and was appointed founding Dean of the African Leadership Academy.

In 2015, he partnered with Oliver Sabot, Oliver Rothschild, and Chinezi Chijioke and together they founded Nova Pioneer in Kenya.

The first Nova Pioneer School opened in January 2016 with 128 boys and was modelled on South Africa's African Leadership Academy.

The Nova Pioneer schools offer Kenya's school curriculum that is enriched with innovation and leadership modules and practice.