Meet Zvikomborero Katsande
Zvikomborero Katsande joined the Aga Khan Academy Maputo in the 2020-2021 academic year from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad where he led the Individuals and Societies Department. Since his arrival, Zvikomborero has been supporting and developing the Middle Years Programme Individuals and Societies Department, whilst also supporting the preparation of the Diploma Programme (DP). Coming from Zimbabwe, Zvikomborero has a wealth of International Baccalaureate (IB) teaching experience across a range of subject areas and is AKA Maputo's new DP Theory of Knowledge coordinator. Here, we learn more about Zvikomborero's teaching journey and his experience working with the Aga Khan Academies.
Did you always want to work in education? What made you want to become a teacher?
Life takes unexpected turns many times. For me, becoming an educator was something quite unexpected. After graduating from high school, I was a little confused about what I really wanted to do. Although enrolling in college to study Politics and Administration was one of my options, I was never sure if I really wanted to do so. An acquaintance of mine invited me to try my luck at the teacher training institution where he was employed. I started teacher training thinking it was a stop-gap arrangement, but I was obviously wrong. I really enjoyed myself when I visited schools for teaching practice. Upon graduation, almost 20 years ago, my teaching career started.
Would you like to share a little bit about your teaching journey that brought you here?
My teaching journey has been quite eventful. I started teaching English and History in a church school in Zimbabwe. More than 10 years ago, I had a short teaching stint in South Africa, but I never got to settle down there. I then moved to Mumbai, India to teach in an IB international school. After 5 years in Mumbai, I moved to Arusha, Tanzania. India would be calling again a few years later when I joined AKA Hyderabad. Although my teaching philosophy has evolved over the years, I have always believed teaching should be tailored to meet the needs of the learners and be individualised as much as possible. The role of modern educators is to nurture and encourage the lifelong learning of students.
What made you want to join the Aga Khan Academies? And subsequently move from AKA Hyderabad to AKA Maputo?
I did not know much about the Aga Khan Academies until my job interview prior to moving to Hyderabad. When I read about His Highness the Aga Khan's vision for the Academies, I knew this was the right place for me to work. I have learned a lot during my stay in Hyderabad and being part of the community has been absolutely enriching.
After spending more than a decade away from home, I thought it would be a greatly beneficial for the family if me moved to Maputo. Although I have seen my children thrive as third culture kids, moving to Maputo would give them opportunities to experience a culture a lot similar to their native culture.
The AK strands are unique to the Academies. Which one speaks the most to you and why?
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
Henry B Adams
I have always been moved by His Highness’ lessons to humanity. I agree with him that advocating for pluralism is as important as advocating for poverty alleviation and conflict prevention if the global society is to experience sustainable development. Living in different countries has taught me to recognise and even appreciate the cultural diversity that exists in the world. As an educator, celebrating the academic achievements of my students would not be very meaningful unless the students demonstrated international mindedness and a pluralistic view.
What is your personal mission/new goals in your new role?
I like farming and I enjoy watching things grow. I look forward to seeing AKA Maputo grow in terms of infrastructure and student enrolment. I am excited about the DP programme and my most immediate goals are to establish a thriving Theory of Knowledge Department and to contribute towards the growth of the Individuals & Societies Department.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
As an educator, I see myself going through a journey of life-long learning. I see my mistakes as opportunities for growth. Collaboration is key to success in teaching and I look forward to meeting my colleagues in Maputo when international flights resume.
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