Nova Pioneer Ormonde Primary welcomes new head of school

Nova Pioneer is excited to announce its new school leader for Ormonde Primary is Albertina Manthlakana Seshoka.

Rahel Wondwossen, chief of schools at Nova Pioneer, said late last year their regional leadership conducted a search process for the next leader of Ormonde Primary and they chose Seshoka.

“Seshoka is also a founding Nova Pioneer teammate at our Ormonde campus, who transitioned to serve as a school leader at another school. We are thrilled to welcome ‘Happy’ back home to Nova Pioneer.

“We are confident that Seshoka’s extensive experience as a school leader and understanding of Nova Pioneer’s organisational culture, mission and vision will help inspire a new trajectory in our efforts to build a world-class private school brand that is globally competitive and in developing our learners as future leaders and innovators,” said Wondwossen.

According to Seshoka, she is excited to reunite with her colleagues and learners.

“Coming back to Ormonde has been very exciting. The one thing that always stayed with me about the school was the focus on culture, which gives you a sense of belonging.

“Coming into the space where you are known can be daunting as expectations can be high, however, I was received with such warmth and excitement that I felt welcomed and at home. From the time I left, there has been such incredible growth at the school and I am very proud to be taking the baton from Gavin Esterhuizen,” said Seshoka.

Seshoka is an experienced educator and manager with 32 years of experience. She has served in various roles and capacities, including 22 years in management positions and 16 years in independent schools.

She has served in leadership roles in all the schools she has worked at and has extensive experience working for start-up schools. She was part of the pioneering teams at all the schools she worked.

Happy was the head of school at Future Nations School (FNS) Lyndhurst, a role she held from the beginning of the school in 2017 till July 2022. She has also worked for Nova Pioneer (2014-2017) as a consultant, curriculum developer and teacher, and later dean of students.

Before that, she was the head of the department for life orientation at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) from January 2007 – December 2013.

She started her career at Edward Phatudi Comprehensive School in Atteridgeville, Pretoria in 1990, where she worked as an English, geography and life orientation teacher (Grades Eight to 12) and later held the position of head of department for life orientation between 2000-2006.

Happy holds a B.Ed-Honours degree in Education Management, a Bachelor of Arts (Education, Psychology) from the University of South Africa, and a Secondary Teachers Diploma from Transvaal College of Education.

She is qualified as an accredited assessor (IEB) and co-authored Grade 10, 11, and 12 textbook Focus on Life Orientation CAPS for Maskew Miller Longman Publishers (published in 2013).

Wondwossen said they would also like to bid farewell to Esterhuizen, the previous school leader at Ormonde. He announced his intention to leave the school.

“Esterhuizen is a founding Nova Pioneer teammate, having led the Ormonde campus since its inception in 2015.

During that time, he has also been instrumental in the development of many of the systems and cultural traditions that form the fabric of all Nova Pioneer’s schools. His imprint on our community has been profound, and we are grateful for his years of service and leadership.”