Khotso Khabele
Leading courageous and authentic global education for today's changing world
"We're supposed to be preparing these kids for their lives, not some slightly different version of our own. . .So how do you prepare children for a world that you can't really imagine because of the increasing rate of change?" asks Khotso Khabele, founder of The Khabele School.
The answer, Khabele explains, lies in the school's fundamental modus operandi and holistic view of education: "The content of the school is to push the students academically, but the context there could be love. It could be connectedness."
Khotso founded the independent, coeducational school in 2001 (and current candidate for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) after what he calls a "watershed moment." "After 9/11, I went through this real period of deep anxiety and fear… but when I came out of it, I had this sense of 'Why wait, why be afraid, life is precious.' I wanted to do something transformational."
So he and his wife, only then in their early-20s, set off on founding their own school after just a few years of experience in the educational field. Together, they pored over literature on every form of curriculum, from military school to Summerhill, in order create a unique atmosphere that would lower fear and anxiety as well as promote tolerance and interpersonal relationships.
"One of the fundamental challenges in education right now is that people feel they have to choose between that academic rigor and whole happy kids — what we're trying to say is that both are essential."
Now, after a decade of dedicated refinement from the faculty and staff and support from the Austin community, The Khabele School produces around 35 graduates per year, poised to be competitive — and compassionate — on a global level.
