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By Thapelo Molefe
After spending 12 years establishing the SPARK Schools’ network throughout Gauteng and the Western Cape, the new managing director of the group has announced plans to expand into Africa.
“We’re ready to build a brand for the continent and provide underserved communities with access to world-class education,” managing director Earl Sampson told a media briefing.
“Our goal is to make high-quality education accessible to all and we’re committed to incorporating the best global practices to achieve this vision.”
He said the network’s commitment to blended learning, teacher training and data-driven instruction had yielded impressive results, including a 97% pass rate for the 2023 matric exams.
Since its inception in 2012, the group has grown to 26 primary and high schools. They accommodate nearly 16,000 learners.
The network was recently named as one of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies by the Financial Times and Statista, and one of Time Magazine’s top 250 EdTech companies worldwide.
Sampson said key initiatives also included opening new schools across South Africa, particularly in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
“SPARK Schools has shown that disruption in the education sector can make a tangible difference,” he said.
“We’re now poised to take this impact to the next level, empowering communities across Africa with the education solution they deserve.”
He said the network had achieved numerous milestones over the past decade, including implementing Africa’s first blended learning model for primary school scholars and investing heavily in teacher training, with over 200 hours of professional development annually.
The network’s emphasis on data-driven instruction enabled personalised learning pathways, while its values-driven approach cultivated responsible global citizens through the core values of service, persistence, achievement, responsibility and kindness, Sampson said.
As SPARK Schools embarked on its next chapter, Sampson said its commitment to revolutionising education on the continent remained unwavering.
INSIDE EDUCATION