Kristin Serfontein and San-Mari van Niekerk, student council members at Aros. (Photo: Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch/Rhewal)
“One can often reach that point where you just want to look into the abyss because life is not always easy, but thanks to the beautiful view from our new campus here at the foothill of the Magaliesberg, it is easy to look ahead every day instead .”
That’s how prof. Rikus Fick, rector of the Academy for Reformatory Training and Studies (Aros), said during the official commissioning of their brand new campus in Montana Park, Pretoria.
Rhewal reported earlier that this private higher education institution already started welcoming its 2,400 students to its new home in 2022, but it was decided to also celebrate this milestone during a fancy party.
Since its foundation in 2004, Aros has followed a distance education model that offers additional support to teaching students in the form of direct contact sessions and/or interactive, online sessions, work sessions or extra classes.
Therefore, this teaching model is ideal for prospective teachers who want to combine their studies and practical teaching experience during their four years of study.
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- Aros’ students are now at home on their new campus. (Photo: Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch/Rhewal)
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- The new campus was concluded during a spectacular function. (Photo: Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch/Rhewal)
Not only Aros, but also the schools with which the institution scrubbed just on its previous campus in Waverley, Pretoria, have grown increasingly in the last few years and the need has arisen to set up a full-fledged campus that Aros can call its own. could name.
News about an available site that previously belonged to Absa and later the private tertiary institution Stadio came to the attention of an Aros board member in 2021.
“In three days’ time the loan was approved, our offer accepted and all our property in Waverley sold. We could see the Lord’s hand in this process,” Fick told Rhewal at the commissioning on Wednesday evening.
The campus’s lovely view. (Photo: Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch/Rhewal)
He is also happy to take the reins as rector prof. Kobus Mentz to surrender on June 1 this year after this big move took place.
“It’s not actually bittersweet for me, because I believe one must have the wisdom to know when one’s time is up. The dream of a campus has come a long way and required hard work from our teams. I am grateful that I was able to make a small contribution in my time to make it happen.”
His dream for Aros is to further expand the postgraduate presentation and distance education model, which currently has footprints in parts of the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Limpopo.
San-Mari van Niekerk, one of these distance learning students and member of Aros’ student council, said at the commissioning that the new premises promote the feeling of a full student life.
Prof. Rikus Fick, rector of Aros. (Photo: Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch/Rhewal)
“The new campus looks much more official and professional and there are lovely spaces to hang out and do activities.”
As a pilot, Aros’ teaching model also offers her the opportunity to live out her other passions while she studies.
She says the “Arries”, as the students refer to themselves, have already inaugurated their new campus with a powder paint fun run and will soon be offering a sock in their fancy restaurant.
Kristin Serfontein, the student council chairperson, says Aros’s Christian foundation and mother tongue teaching model create an extremely unique learning experience for its teaching students.
“Because we are a smaller student body, the togetherness is also completely unique. Here you really are part of a family.”
