Central Pillars
Ile Omode rests on four ethical pillars drawn from Maat. Together they define ideal behavior for the individual, family, and community — both the boundaries for our actions and their intent.
- Maat — Right Order
- The Ten Virtues
- Declarations of Innocence
- Nguzo Saba
Our Foundation
Guiding Principles
Our foundation rests on Maat — the ancient Kemetic concept of order, balance, and harmony — along with the Ten Virtues, the Declarations of Innocence, and the Nguzo Saba.
Every institution expresses a consciousness which is manifested in its ethos, or guiding beliefs and ideas. Driven by our mission, which calls us to give birth to the genius in every child, we have developed an educational philosophy that demands the very best from our students as reflected in our values.
Educational Philosophy
We believe that all children have a right to a quality education. Within every child resides genius, and it is our responsibility to guide and instruct our children on their path to their greatness.
The Wo’se Community Church school program, as embodied in Ile Omode, is grounded in academic and cultural principles which provide a foundation for the development of self-determined scholarship and leadership. Our goal is to create a learning environment which encourages creative problem solving, teamwork, and confidence. Through learning experiences that are both challenging and fun, we are preparing our children to compete in a technologically advanced society.
We emphasize African values and community as a framework for the utilization of this technology. Our vision is that our students become highly motivated and creative leaders who are both capable and committed to the betterment of our nation. We stress the development of our students’ bodies, minds, souls, and consciousness. We develop our bodies by eating a proper diet and exercising daily. We develop our minds by acquiring knowledge and skills that are useful to our advancement. We develop our souls by developing our relationship with the Creator and with our people based on Maat (truth, justice, right-order, and reciprocity). We develop our consciousness by attaining self-awareness, identity, self-control, and discipline.
Our children, today’s children, represent our tomorrow. What they are gives us an indication of our future as a people. Ile Omode joins parents in the task of nurturing the development of superior children.
Knowledge is like a garden;
If it is not cultivated,
It cannot be harvested
— Guinea proverb
Maat
The ancient Kemetic concept encompassing truth, righteousness, reciprocity, harmony, balance, and right order. Maat is the foundation upon which all of our educational principles rest, guiding how we teach, learn, and interact as a community.
The Ten Virtues
Drawn from Kemetic wisdom, these virtues guide our students' character development:
- Control of thoughts
- Control of actions
- Devotion of purpose
- Faith in the ability of one's teacher
- Faith in oneself and one's ability to learn
- Preparedness for learning
- Freedom from resentment under persecution
- Freedom from resentment under wrong
- Ability to distinguish between right and wrong
- Ability to distinguish between the real and the unreal
Declarations of Innocence
Adapted from the Kemetic Declarations (Book of Coming Forth by Day), these principles teach our students to lead honorable lives:
- I have not done iniquity
- I have not told lies
- I have not made any to weep
- I have not committed murder
- I have not been a stirrer of strife
- I have not acted deceitfully
- I have not stolen
- I have not acted with violence
- I have not uttered curses
- I have not treated any person with cruelty
- I have not polluted the water
- I have not scorned the God in my city
- I have made no one hungry
- I have made no one cry
Nguzo Saba
The Seven Principles, articulated by Dr. Maulana Karenga, form the ethical framework of our community:
Umoja (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves. As Dr. Karenga reminds us, kujichagulia requires that communities determine their own destiny.
Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility)
To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Nia (Purpose)
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Kuumba (Creativity)
To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Imani (Faith)
To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Experience Our Values in Action
Visit our campus to see how these principles shape every day at Ile Omode.