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Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM |
Akhepran Intl. Academy located on Bernard Road Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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Nassau, Bahamas - Akhepran International Academy is the newest school in the Bahamas, but it is already blazing a trail of its own. The Academy, which has the Ministry of Education’s stamp of approval, intends to integrate much more than the standard curriculum to its students. Children will be taught five languages; exposed to numerous life-skills lessons; enriched by the knowledge of their history; understand and appreciate the value of Mother Earth; and be associated with schools throughout the world, communicating via internet and live streaming sessions. AIA will implement the best of the home school and traditional methodologies, using an integrative and inter-graded approach.
On August 10th, AIA welcomed scores of prospective parents to its first open house meeting at the Kem En Het Heritage Center, which is located on Bernard Road. Her well-attended opening, which brought together Bahamians from many different facets of society, showed promise for a school that is determined to bring about a new way of approaching the education of Bahamian children.
It is the brainchild of Senator Dr. Jacinta Higgs, who proudly opened the school last week right in the historic village of Fox Hill, where she grew up. The heavy influence of African culture in a community which has celebrated the emancipation of slaves for nearly 200 years has nurtured Dr. Higgs into a respected educator and lecturer of Bahamian history and its African influence.
Dr. Higgs addressing prospective parents Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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Although there were many Afro-centric faces in the crowd which gathered to hear the directors of the academy speak about the way forward for its first-ever school year, there were also people of European, Hispanic and Indian background present.
Dr. Higgs pointed out that the name of the school is Akhepran International Academy because “it is our mandate to accept, embrace, love, train, and transform people of every ethnic and racial background”.
“I am a science teacher by first-training. The professors who taught me were white and they told me that the oldest human remains were about 1.3 million years old (they called her Lucy) and she was found in Nubia - in Africa. They would say that mankind’s origin was found along the equator of the major continents; so that is where the black-skinned man has his or her origin. But this is the genesis of all people.”
Prospective students tour the new school Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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“Akhepran has people of African, Indian, Hispanic, European and Asian background,” she pointed out, stressing that respect for all cultures will come through education and exposure to people from all around the world. A part of the academy’s curriculum plans include interacting with other students in different countries via live streaming over the internet. Other out-of-the-box methods include having practical, real-life experiences with professionals from a wide range of backgrounds so that students passing out of the institution will be more aptly prepared for the real world.
Dr. Higgs said Akhepran’s mission is to “train, teach, and transform Bahamian children to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and conscientious citizens who reside in spiritual and moral rectitude once they go to the global stage, which will make us proud”.
Speaking shortly after a three-hour session with parents, Dr. Higgs said: “I am very honoured, grateful, humbled, and very much open to God’s direction because we are not only taking in students, we are taking in divine beings,” said Dr. Higgs, “so with that in mind, there is a very serious sense of consciousness, so I am humbled.”
The Kem En Het Heritage Center is the product of more than a decade of hard work and out-of-pocket building by Dr. Higgs and her husband, contractor Dwight Higgs. Although the building is structured like a modern building with all of the latest amenities, its embellishments display the essence of its purpose. The building adorns an ancient finish, reminiscent of the glorious days of the kingdoms of Nubia in Africa. All around the building, you can find African symbols that represent hope, unity, determination, and the success that Dr. Higgs envisions for the center and for the children that will call it home. Even the interior designs behold the beauty of ancient art and culture.
Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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It reflects the Academy’s desire to take the children back to fundamental, creational ways of learning, integrating Ma’at principles into all aspects of a traditional curriculum. Ma’at refers to the Ancient Egyptian concept of truth, balance, order, law, morality, and justice.
By entrenching these principles into the spirit of the children, she aspires to create better, more productive citizens who will contribute to their country and the global stage.
Touching on the importance of this unique learning institution, Dr. Higgs said: “Your essence is wrapped up in your skin color, hair texture and length, your shape, your size, your parents, your community, your nation. As Afro-centric, African descendants we have done an unsatisfactory job of passing on our heritage and our culture through inter-generational transmission. There are so many gaps.”
Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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Many educators agree that this lack of knowledge, appreciation and understanding for our past has affected our children’s ability to succeed at their full potential, and calls have been made for more integration of African history and culture in the schools.
“I know for a fact that Sharon Poitier and her team of Social Studies and History teachers are doing this,” she said, “but I want to have the full immersion, with Ma’at principles being integrated into all of the subjects; so I decided that I would be the trailblazer.
For more information call 242-324-8683 or email akhepranacademy@yahoo.com
Dr. Higgs and Directors of the school Photo: Felicity Ingraham
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