About Us

A School With
Something to Say

We know exactly why we exist. How we teach, who we hire, how we treat children. All of it comes from a clear belief about what school should actually be.

Where We Started

Why We Started This School

Shalva Academy started with one clear idea. Children learn better when they feel safe and when the adults around them actually know them.

After two years of planning and building, we opened in January 2024 at Plot No. ZT62, Baldwin View, Zamtan, Kitwe. Designed from scratch to reflect what we actually believe in.

"Shalva" speaks to peace and wholeness. A fitting name for a school that thinks the best thing you can give a child is an environment where they feel truly safe.

We're a young school, but we're not uncertain about what we're doing. We know what we believe. And we want what we're building to still matter to Kitwe in fifty years.

2024
Year the school opened its doors in Baldwin View, Kitwe
9
Year groups from Baby Class all the way through Grade 7
3
Core values that guide every decision we make at Shalva Academy
Mission

What We Do

We teach well, keep the school calm, push for genuine academic excellence, and build leadership skills that actually stay with children as they grow.

Vision

Where We're Going

To be the most respected private school in Zambia. Not because of marketing, but because the children who come through here turn out to be genuinely excellent people.

Our Philosophy

Unhurried, Intentional Education

Some schools treat childhood like a waiting room. A place to pass through on the way to being examined, graded, and sorted. That's not what we're doing here.

We give children time. Time to wonder, to get things wrong, to recover and try again, to grow at a pace that actually suits them. Nothing here happens by accident.

The way we set up a classroom, structure a morning, design a lesson, talk to a child who's struggling. All of it's thought through. We don't coast.

"A great lesson isn't one where the teacher performed well. It's one where the children thought hard, found something out, and walked out a little different from when they came in."
  • Morning mindfulness and circle time in every class, every day
  • Lessons built around questions, not just answers
  • Group work, hands-on projects, and real discovery
  • Teachers who know every child by name and by character
  • A campus that feels calm and safe to be in
The Three Pillars

What We Stand For

The three words on our crest aren't decorative. They're the daily commitments every person in this community holds to.

01

Serenity

A calm, safe space for children and staff. Serenity isn't the absence of noise. It's the presence of safety. Children walk through our gates knowing they won't be humiliated or made to feel small. Every space is set up with that in mind.

02

Knowledge

Deep, honest, curious learning. Kids are born curious. Our job is to keep that going. A child who gets something wrong and understands why is further along than one who got it right without knowing how.

03

Leadership

Character before authority. Leadership here isn't about children who give orders. It's about people who take responsibility. For themselves, for others, for the world they're growing into. We start building that from year one.

Patrick Sydney Chikuka
Founder & Director
Our Founder

Patrick Sydney Chikuka

Patrick founded Shalva Academy because he believed Kitwe's children deserve a school that puts their real wellbeing at the centre, not just their exam scores.

After two years of preparation, starting in 2022, he opened the school in January 2024 with a small, carefully chosen team and a clear sense of direction. The school is new. The thinking behind it isn't.

"We're still finding our full stride. But we know what we're building, and we're not in a hurry to cut corners to get there."
Come and See

Come and See For Yourself

The best way to know if Shalva is right for your child is to come and see it. Book a tour, come to an Open Day, or just call us.

Enquire About Admissions Get in Touch