Since May 2009, Hope 4 Africa’s has focused on supporting two primary schools and two high schools in Kenya, Africa. As we made a commitment to increase the quality of education offered at these schools, they in turn have supported the development Hope 4 Africa.
While the four schools are receiving our donations, we consider them full partners in Hope 4 Africa’s mission and operation. Each year, each schools discuss their needs, ideas, and dreams directly with us. Those needs, ideas, and dreams contribute directly to the campaigns we develop each year. Creating an equal partnership is of utmost importance to Hope 4 Africa. Below, we introduce the four schools that have shaped us as an organization:
Ogilgei Primary School
Ogilgei Primary School is a public school located in Rongai district, Ngata division, Ogilgei location and in Rongai constituency. The school is four kilometers north of Njoro and was established in 1984. Since its establishment, the facility has grown from one classroom to 16 classrooms. Twelve of the classrooms were completed through the Constituency Development Funds. Another two classrooms were completed by Agriflora Kenya LTD. Ogilgei Primary School has a student body of 720 (380 girls and 340 boys) and 16 teachers.
The school is advised by a School Management Committee, comprised of 13 members. Eight of the members were elected by parents of Ogilgei students, and five of the members were elected by the local government.
The introduction of free primary education has increased the school’s student enrollment. While free education has provided more students an opportunity for education, the growing numbers have led to logistical challenges. Expanding the resources and facility necessary for the students is costly, and much of the burden falls on parents and guardians.
Kirobon Primary School
Kirobon Primary School is a public school located at Ngata Division, Kirobon farm in Rongai District in Nakuru County, about 11 kilometers from Nakuru and on the left side of Nakuru-Eldoret road toward Eldoret. Kirobon Primary School has a student body of 350, and 11 teachers.
The school’s overall development is managed by an annually elected School Management Committee.
Generally, Kirobon test scores are above average with a mean score of about 270 marks of a possible of 500 marks. Some of the best professionals in the area were educated at Kirobon. The school performs well in district and county primary school sport competitions.
Just like other public schools, Kirobon was built by peasant farmers living on small incomes from small-scale farming. The funding for schools has continuously gone down due to growing population that has led to high demand of living. The introduction of free primary education has increased the enrollment leading to challenges that have greatly impacted academic progress and the overall development of its students.
Funds for school facilities from parents and guardians has been insufficient for the needs of the school, and the funds received from the Minstry of Education have specific limitations on usage. These two factors make it difficult for school facilities to grow and be updated with rising numbers of school children.
Ogilgei Secondary School
Ogilgei Secondary School was founded in 2003. It has a student body of 233 (145 boys and 88 girls) in four classes. Currently, the school has nine teachers, five from the Teachers Service Commission and four employed by the school. The school also employs eight support staff. The school was started as a community school with Ogilgei Primary School on seven acres of land. The facility was initially a single office and later a classroom was built.
Parents whose children come to Ogilgei Secondary School are peasant farmers who have been forced to lease their land because they cannot afford the cost of full farming and taking care of the child. The pesant farmers in this situation constantly work for 200 shillings a day, which cannot be sustained for more than day-to-day use.
The school is in Rongai District of Nakuru County. Free primary education has led to very large classes in primary schools, which results in poorly prepared children continuing to secondary school. Though free primary education supports parents in the area, it created the problem of insufficient infrastructure.
Though the government’s Constituencies Development Fund could have acted as relief to the problem of infrastructure, it has not because the government has not supplied enough teachers to meet the education demands.
Boror Secondary School
Boror Secondary School is a public secondary school registered under the Ministry of Education. It was started in 2007 by the Boror community as a continuation of Boror Primary School. The main reasons for starting the school were to increase student transition rate from primary to secondary school, and to reduce the costs for parents to continue their child’s education.
The school facility initially started as two classrooms, which were funded bu the Nakuru county council. The student body is currently 190 (100 boys and 90 girls) ranging from 14 to 24 years old.
The school has nine teachers, seven are employed by the government through the Teacher’s Service Commission and two are employed by the board of governors. Boror also employs four non-teaching staff members. The school is managed by a board of governors and Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
Most families in the area own small farms or work in nearby flour farms and have a low income base, which often leads to poor payment of school fees and students being absent from school. A few students have been sponsored in their school fees by Hope 4 Africa, the County Council of Nakuru, and the Constituencies Development Fund.