Vision Valley School is found in the city of Antananarivo on the stunning red island of Madagascar. The school was founded in 2000 by Gavin and Rhoda Jordaan, from South Africa, and has grown from 3 students to well over 230 at the moment. The school caters for students from preschool to grade 12 at present.
Why an English school in a Francophone country??
Rhoda and Gavin felt the need for a school as a tool of ministry due to the history of the island- an ex French colony then a socialist-run country and now a democratic nation.
Madagascar is an island that is known as the island that time forgot, the island that bleeds and an island that is gripped by a poverty mentality, which is not entirely true. The island has enormous natural resources and opportunities, however, due to culture and ancestral worship many of the locals appear to be living in a state of bondage, which is instrumental in preventing progress. The school is a tool to educate and hopefully to challenge and change mindsets.
The island appears to be under generational curses and bondage and the only way out is by sharing the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Rhoda and Gavin feel that the way forward is by educating the younger generation because one of the downfalls in Madagascar is education – some areas find the local people up to 95% illiterate. Hence, Vision Valley School that has children from many different backgrounds, religions and cultures. The school offers a biblically-based education and most teachers are Christian. Current status of the school sees more than 50% of the students from other religions so it is a wonderful ministry field and a great place to sow seeds in the lives of these children.
The school not only teaches students but also has a program of training teachers, including having teachers with teacher’s aides. The studies are in English with French as second language and Malagasy as conversational studies. The school is registered with the local education department and has regular inspections from the local government. The school is run by a board of directors and the finances are generated locally by school fees, the Jordaan family trust and donations from parents and others. Some students are on subsidized schooling. The school board is overseen by an executive board of directors. The school is a Christian school but we have attending students from all walks of life: religions and nations, it is a good ministry / mission field. The school year is from mid August to mid June.