15 YEARS OF PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST

In September 2008, KOMPASS Kindergarten opened its door in the Maadi lush suburb of Cairo Egypt. With 14 children and 7 staff members, they began putting children first.

Instead of giving in to a rigid institutional system, the founders wanted for every child out there what they wanted for their own children. And that was when KOMPASS Education began.

Back then, the kindergarten consisted of one apartment, an outdoor space, and lots of love and understanding. The vision of the founders and staff was that children are complete in themselves, they are capable of learning, they are capable of being independent, they have a choice. Everyone at KOMPASS deeply believed this, and still do.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2008 – KOMPASS KINDERGARTEN

4 month later, in January 2009, the KOMPASS Nursery opened its door for younger children, children as young as 12 months, show interest in things they prefer, they make choices, they have talents, and are able to perform and participate in tasks and activities that may seem beyond their ability to their parents. In the KOMPASS nursery each teacher has a maximum of 3 children, from 9 to 3 these children are participating, cooperating carrying and learning simple life skills like eating completely by themselves, cleaning up before and after meals, sleeping within a group of other children, competing puzzles, doing simple literacy activities, working on their fine and motor skills and being monitored by the Nursery staff that documents every major and minor milestone and skill acquired by the children on a daily basis. In the KOMPASS Nursery toddlers are being giving the chance to be their independent unique selves on a daily basis. A nursery is not only a daycare for this age group, but a place of social, mental and physical growth.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2009 – KOMPASS NURSERY

The 3 year olds who entered kindergarten in 2008 turned 7 in 2012. And they needed a school to attend. By then KOMPASS had already started turning into a community and the staff and parents alike wanted to continue giving to the children the same opportunities throughout their primary school years. The KOMPASS concept and pedagogy were already established and were not going to waste.

Accordingly, in 2012 the KOMPASS Primary school opened its door, and the children were transferred from the Kindergarten to continue their child centered education in a broader and a more comprehensive approach, each according to their level and age.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2012 – KOMPASS Primary School

Throughout the years, from 2008 unto 2012, more parents, Expats and Egyptians – mostly residing in Maadi – were starting to form a child centered community, after all, KOMPASS being a neighborhood school, there had to be collaborations in one way or another between parents and school.

Along the primary years, the KOMPASS Primary school has been dedicated to maintain it’s child lead approach, and it was clear that the school needs to expand! From Kindergarten to Nursery to Primary, it was about time to walk these children to their middle school years.

In 2019, the KOMPASS Middle School was opened, and a whole new journey has begun. With all the challenges that the KOMPASS community faced along the years in sustaining the vision and quality of education at the Kindergarten, School and nursery, it is a proud moment for the KOMPASS School to announce that this coming academic year 23/24, there will be further adjustments and adaptations for the new and rich set curriculum that will take place starting this 

August 2023.

Stay tuned for our next story: The KOMPASS Curriculum and Approach.