Founded by T4 Education and HP, the Africa Education Medal is Africa’s most prestigious education accolade.
Kenya’s Christopher Khaemba, Co-Founder and Director of Nova Pioneer, has been named among the ten Finalists for the Africa Education Medal 2024. Founded by T4 Education and HP, the Africa Education Medal is Africa’s most prestigious education accolade.
The Africa Education Medal recognises the tireless work of those who are transforming education across the continent – celebrating the stories of those who have lit the spark of change so others will be inspired to take up the torch. It is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.
The winner of this year’s Africa Education Medal will be invited to attend the World Schools Summit in Dubai on 23-24 November and, in recognition of the urgent need to solve the teacher recruitment and retention crisis to tackle learning gaps, the winner will be entitled to nominate a school of their choice to receive membership of T4 Education’s Best School to Work programme – an independent, evidence-based mechanism to certify schools for their culture and help them transform their working environment to attract and retain the best teachers.
Christopher Khaemba is a Kenyan educator and Co-Founder and Director of Nova Pioneer, a pan-African school group with the mission of developing innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century. He has focused his life’s work on building institutions that stand as beacons of what is possible in African education, impacting 20,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
Khaemba began his career in Kenya’s air force, before he made the decision to go into teaching Physics and Mathematics, quickly rising to school leadership at Friends School Kamusinga and The Alliance High School. It was in this role that Khaemba began his work developing generations of skilled and ethical African leaders, which he continued as Founding Head of the African Leadership Academy. His commitment to developing young Africans with leadership capacity and a desire to shape the world for the better saw him co-found Nova Pioneer.
Khaemba recognises that youth leadership development is critically important to the continent’s future, and therefore to the world. Africa is increasingly the world’s largest source of talent and human capital. However, current and traditional education across the continent – even in relatively well-resourced schools – is highly rote and falls far short of the development of holistic leadership and creative capacities that Africa and the world needs.
Through all his work, Khaemba has helped 20,000 young Africans graduate with an excellent education that has provided them with the holistic character, academic, personal competence, and social capital development they need to shape society. His former students today represent a dynamic community of leadership in all sectors of Kenyan society and across the African diaspora. Notable students include James Mwangi, Kihara Maina, James Mworia, John Gachora, Humphrey Wattanga, Martin Mbaya, Edward Ndopu, William Kamkwamba, Linda Dounia, Eddy Oketch, Fatou Fall, and Oyindamilola Adefisayo.
Khaemba’s transformative work in education attracted the attention of Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki, who in 2005 awarded him Head of State Commendation in recognition of his contribution towards the development of education in Kenya. Kibaki’s predecessor, President Daniel Moi had in 1998 awarded Khaemba the Distinguished Service Medal for turning round a poorly performing Friends School, Kamusinga High School into a powerhouse of excellent student outcomes in three years.
Khaemba served on the World Economic Forum’s Council for Africa, whose other distinguished members included Grace Machel, Mo Ibrahim and Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili. In 2009 the Council pushed Africa’s Agenda to the centre of the Forum during a meeting held in Dubai.
In 2017 Khaemba was contracted by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct research on Africa’s education landscape. His work led to the Foundation’s decision to invest in the education activities on the Continent.
Khaemba is a former Education Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of Kenya and serves as a member of the Moi University Council in Kenya.
Nominations for the Africa Education Medal opened in February 2024 for individuals working to improve pre-kindergarten, K-12, vocational and university education who are either educators or school leaders, civil society leaders, public servants, government officials, political leaders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, or technologists.
In its third year, the Africa Education Medal is the oldest of the three World Education Medals established by T4 Education and HP.
The winner will be announced in October. They will be chosen by a Jury comprising prominent individuals based on rigorous criteria.
