School Leaders' Mentorship Programme

Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh my respected mentor Mrs. Fatimah Oreagba,

On a scale of 1-10 I would rate the value am getting so far - after week 2 of the mentorship - at 9.5/10 (and rising!).

Without exaggeration, this mentorship has been one of the most transformative professional learning experiences I have undertaken as an educational leader. Despite holding a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Innovation and a PhD in Islamic Sciences, in addition to working in the corporate world as well as being in the field of teaching and learning for more than 4 decades now, I have just discovered that effective 21st-century school leadership—especially in Early Childhood Education—is not merely about managing a school; it is about the leader being aware of himself, building systems, shaping culture, developing people, and creating an institution that can thrive beyond its founder.

The mentorship has challenged many assumptions I previously held about how schools should operate with and around me. Sessions on educator identity, life skills, school systems, staff culture, student experience, branding of school ethics, and sustainable growth have already prompted me to begin rethinking and redesigning several aspects of leadership and operations at S.A.I.D. Arabic & English Academy.

What excites me most is that the program moves beyond theory into practical, scalable frameworks that can be implemented immediately. Every session leaves me with actionable insights and a clearer vision of what a truly impactful school should look like.

The only reason I am not giving it a perfect 10/10 is that the journey is still ongoing and am not sure of what materials and tools (slides, templates etc) I would end up with. If the remaining weeks deliver at the same level as the first two, I have little doubt that this mentorship will become one of the most influential leadership development programs I have ever experienced.

In short: I am not just learning—I am being transformed as a school leader. - Imam Dr. Sa-id Mukhtar Abubakar