South African musician Majozi is starting the new year on a high note as the newly appointed head of culture at Koa Academy.
The Sama-nominated musician will be responsible for providing strategic and practical direction when it comes to Koa’s approach to arts and culture.
He will provide coaching to Koa staff on how best to identify and grow individual learners’ talents and artistic interests.
Elaborating on his new role, Majozi said: “Ever since I found my talent in music and started my career, I wished that my education around arts and culture started at an earlier age.
“When I was growing up, I think arts and culture were misunderstood and often just a side thought in South Africa. I'd love to help change that mindset and help learners to embrace and value their creativity in whatever form it takes.”
Learners will also get to interact with Majozi in a range of experiential arts and culture projects that aim to develop real-life skills.
“Even if a future career in arts and culture is not for them, all learners can gain so much by engaging with experiential arts and culture education. They can learn appreciation, understanding, creativity, teamwork, history and so much more,” said the indie-folk singer.
He continued: “That's the beauty of arts and culture, it really has many fascinating subjects that can be explored within it. I want the Koa learners to feel like they are enough and their ideas matter. I'd like to boost their confidence and let them know they can do anything they put their mind to. We’re going to break the ceiling that the world may already have put on their creativity.”
Koa Academy CEO and principal Mark Anderson said he’s thrilled to welcome Majozi as part of his creative team.
“We’re delighted to warmly welcome Majozi into the Koa family. As a professional musician, he’s walked the artist’s road himself and has incredible insight into how young people in South Africa can grow life passions, develop meaningful interests and pursue careers in arts and culture fields,” said Anderson.
“As a successful working creative, Majozi’s appointment as Koa’s head of culture represents the unbundling of education and enables Koa to focus on giving our kids more opportunities to discover their talents and pursue future careers which may typically have fallen outside the usual scope of traditional schooling.”
Koa offers integrated learning across the South African curriculum through an innovative online platform, using the best-curated resources from around the world.
The Durban-born star is best known as the artist who “wears his heart on his sleeve”. He has tattoos dedicated to his faith and to his mother, two very defining aspects of his life, both of which inspire the music he writes.