Heroes community academy (HCA)

Heroes Community Academy opened its doors in January 2020 as a community-based nursery and primary school, providing high-quality education at affordable fees. Scholarships are available for disadvantaged children, depending on available resources. In addition to regular classes, the school, under the Zanzibar Learning 4 Life Foundation (ZL4LF), offers outreach programs that empower the local community through after-school literacy and numeracy tuition. The school serves the Fuoni-Uwandani, Fuoni-Kichungwani, Jumbi, and Kibondeni areas.

School Committee: The school committee is composed of the headmaster, the Sheha (community leader), and seven parents. The committee is responsible for overseeing the school’s management, staff discipline, and budget reviews, ensuring the school’s operations align with its mission and values.

School philosophy: The school’s philosophy is to deliver a high standard of education that enables students to develop their skills and realize their potential as responsible citizens. We are committed to continuous teacher development to meet the evolving needs of society and address the diverse needs of our students. We prioritize equal access to education, especially for girls and vulnerable groups such as children with special educational needs. Our school provides a safe, child-friendly environment free from discrimination, abuse, and harassment. We believe that excellence in early education will enhance students' prospects at secondary and tertiary levels. After school, students can explore a range of activities, including art, craft, sports, and IT.

Curriculum: The school follows the government-prescribed primary school curriculum, which includes English, Maths, Geography, Science, ICT, History, Kiswahili, Religion, and Arabic. We ensure all subjects are taught in the appropriate languages (English for most, Kiswahili for Religion, and Arabic for Arabic). Additionally, we offer sports opportunities, including swimming, football, and netball, with a focus on ensuring girls have equal participation.

Development plan: The school started with 50 students (25 per class) aged 4 to 6. Currently, 10% of students receive scholarships, and we aim to increase this as funding permits. We regularly assess student progress every three months and have seen significant improvement. The school currently has 4 classrooms, with plans to add 2 more and a computer lab by the end of 2020. Our office is equipped with a scanner and photocopier, and we have a library stocked with dictionaries, textbooks, and age-appropriate books for students to borrow.

School structure and teaching staff: Curriculum
The school follows the government-prescribed primary school curriculum, which includes English, Maths, Geography, Science, ICT, History, Kiswahili, Religion, and Arabic. We ensure all subjects are taught in the appropriate languages (English for most, Kiswahili for Religion, and Arabic for Arabic). Additionally, we offer sports opportunities, including swimming, football, and netball, with a focus on ensuring girls have equal participation.

Development Plan
The school started with 50 students (25 per class) aged 4 to 6. Currently, 10% of students receive scholarships, and we aim to increase this as funding permits. We regularly assess student progress every three months and have seen significant improvement. The school currently has 4 classrooms, with plans to add 2 more and a computer lab by the end of 2020. Our office is equipped with a scanner and photocopier, and we have a library stocked with dictionaries, textbooks, and age-appropriate books for students to borrow.

School Structure and Teaching Staff
We have a rigorous process for selecting teaching staff, ensuring they not only have teaching qualifications but also strong motivation, excellent spoken English, and commitment to our discipline policy. We also have a dedicated plan for their ongoing professional development, covering topics like motivation, study skills, and exam techniques.