The African Leadership Academy (ALA) is a residential, secondary institution located in the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa for 15–18 year-olds, from all 54 African nations and around the world.
Founded in 2004 by Fred Swaniker, Chris Bradford, Peter Mombaur, and Acha Leke,[1] ALA officially opened in September 2008 with an inaugural class of 97 students. ALA's mission to transform Africa by developing and supporting future generations of African leaders—ethical and innovative leaders who will usher the continent into a peaceful and prosperous future.[2] To achieve this goal, ALA teaches a two-year curriculum in African studies, leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as the usual academic core subjects.
Contents |
The founders of ALA, believe that ethical leadership is the key to transforming the African continent. Around 2004 they launched Global Leadership Adventures, a summer program that would be a precursor to ALA.
In 2006, Swaniker and Bradford were recognized, by Echoing Green, who described them as two of the 15 best emerging social entrepreneurs in the world.[3] In 2007 the initial campus was confirmed, and the Christopher Khaemba, was announced as the inaugural Dean of School.
At the Academy, students share a dormitory, presenting an opportunity to learn new languages while discovering common interests and exploring different cultures.
The African Leadership Academy seeks to enroll the most outstanding students from across Africa and around the world, and use five criteria for admission:[4]
ALA operates a three stage application process:
Any student may submit a first round application, which consists of four components.
Finalists are selected and invited to complete a finalist application. This application is more detailed, and consists of the following 6 components:
Finalists are given at least four weeks to complete this application.
ALA finalists are then invited to a residential weekend, in which they meet other finalists, submit their application, sit the entrance exam, and attend an interview with ALA staff.
The African Leadership Academy has developed a curriculum that prepares each student for a lifetime of leadership on the African continent.
The academic core combines interdisciplinary study in the first year with tailored study, according to individual interests, in the second year. At the end of the second year, students take exams in at least three subjects at A Level.[5]
The LEA Curriculum in leadership, entrepreneurship, and African studies prepares the student to confront the challenges on the continent. In the interdisciplinary African studies curriculum, students study hunger eradication, health care provision, economic growth, and conflict resolution.
The Culminating Project requires the student to utilise the knowledge and skills gained over two years on campus. Each student designs, implements and presents a culminating project intended to have a lasting impact on an African community.
ALA students consistently rank amongst the top performers in the world on their A-Level exams, and the inaugural class have been accepted into universities around the world.
Dean Christopher Situma Khaemba was previously Principal of Alliance Boys’ High School on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. A former military officer and physics teacher, Khaemba has served as a school leader for the past 12 years.
Faculty members go through a process that includes multiple interviews, academic background checks, and verification of personal and professional references. After the first round of interviews, the prospective teacher conducts a mock lesson in the presence of students and two faculty members. This is followed by a final round of interviews.
All faculty members are graduates from renowned universities; most notably Harvard, Yale, Cambridge and Stanford[6]; and have previously taught at leading institutions.
At African Leadership Academy, students are encouraged to follow their passions and interests.
All students are encouraged to participate in an athletics or fitness activity.
Students participate in a variety of clubs, and each student is expected to create or run either a "Student-run Business", an "Original idea for Development", or a "Community Service Project".
The student run businesses only operate on campus, and include:
ALA students are involved in local schools and communities through Community Service Projects (CSPs). Projects include tutoring programs on campus and community clean-up campaigns. CSPs tend to be multi-year projects that get managed by successive students.
Current CSPs include:
Original Ideas for Development (OIDs), are projects that have a wide scope and run beyond the students' time at ALA. Current OIDs include:
Students explore the local community, Africa, and the world,[8] by participating in an excursion program. Outdoors enthusiasts participate in weekend hiking trips in the Drakensberg mountains and longer excursions during holiday periods, while scientists may apply to attend the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in the United States.
The Academy offers outstanding high school students, from around the world, the opportunity to spend a term abroad or gap year. The gap year program is a 10-month pre-university program, in which students design their own service project. Students also have the opportunity to learn an African language and gain an understanding of Africa’s challenges and opportunities.
The Academy offers top-performing high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, from across the world, the opportunity to apply to spend three weeks of their summer as Global Scholars. The Global Scholars Program prepares students to transform passion and vision into deliberate action; explore leadership in practice at some of Africa’s most impactful social ventures; and lead an initiative aimed to help a community in need.
As well as the Board of Governors, the Academy’s Board of Advisors is composed of African and global luminaries in business, leadership development, secondary education, and social entrepreneurship. The Advisory Board provides strategic input and guidance to the ALA management team.
The African Leadership Foundation is a USA 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that supports the African Leadership Academy and the next generation of African leaders.