Choose a school that will give your child the best education

We have compiled a list of schools that perform well in national exams and co-curricular activities. PHOTO | BD GRAPHIC 

By Sandra Chao-Blasto, schao@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• Parents should not make the mistake of picking schools whose fees they can’t afford.
• Most schools have payment plans for school fees allowing you to pay the whole amount for the academic year in bits so as not to feel overwhelmed.

There is no better inheritance one can gift their children than a good education, and it’s every parents’ dream that their children should have a better life than they did.

Opportunities

Choosing the right school for your child is key in ensuring that you provide them with the right foundation for a life with limitless opportunities.

But with numerous financial obligations, parents often find themselves in a tight spot at the start of every new term trying to raise their children’s fees.

Waceke Nduati-Omanga, the founder of Centonomy Limited which provides training on personal finance management, says the main reason parents are often unable to pay fees on time is putting your child in a school that you cannot afford.

“While parents want the best for their children, they sometimes turn to schools that are too costly and whose fees they cannot sustainably pay,” she said.

Cheap alternatives

Instead of having your child sent away from school regularly because of fees, parents should look for cheaper alternatives that provide the same quality of education.

“You can start with a good low-cost school and later move to the dream school with proper financial planning; when you are able to grow your income from what it currently is,” she said.

Conducting a lifestyle audit by keenly scrutinising each and every expenditure can reveal why you find yourself in a rut every three months.

Often parents “forget” to pay school fees, prioritising other issues which might not be urgent like renewing their pay-TV subscription.

While there are many financial institutions, from saccos to commercial and investment banks, that provide relief to parents who find themselves in urgent need of cash, Ms Nduati-Omanga says these are not a viable solution in the long term.

Quick fix solutions

The temptation to look for such quick-fix solutions can be very tempting, she explains, adding that the habit “will always leave an individual in debt and one might end up not being able to service repayments or access more credit to pay fees.”

Most schools have payment plans for school fees allowing you to pay the whole amount for the academic year in bits so as not to feel overwhelmed.

Others have discounted pricing for siblings in the same institution, and it is always important to confirm with the management if such offers exist.

Some long-term investment options like bonds can provide parents with an adequate academic financing option if planned early.

Government bonds

Those with money that they can set aside as their child joins primary school can invest in company or government bonds that will payout as the child transitions to secondary education.

Setting up an education fund can also work to the advantage of both the parent and child. The parent can save and convince the child to pursue higher education as some plans continue up to a maximum of 20 years.

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Lukenya Schools

Both Lukenya Girls and Lukenya High (boys), which are situated on the western side of Lukenya Hill, are boarding schools.
The average number of pupils per stream is 30, while the total school population is around 400. There are four streams per class in both the girls’ and the boys’ secondary schools.

Aside from a good school menu comprising beef and chicken, students enjoy local, regional and international trips, both academic and for leisure.

The schools have fully equipped science, computer and music labs, as well as sporting equipment for both indoor and outdoor games. The dormitories comprise cubical rooms, each accommodating four students.

Anestar Precious Girls

This girls’-only boarding school is another institution that performs well in the national exams. Anestar is part of a consortium of privately owned boarding schools situated in Lanet, Nakuru. The other schools in the group include Anestar Boys and Anestar Girls.

Anestar Precious Girls has two streams with about 40 students in each class and a teacher-student ratio of 1:20.

Serare

Located in Kajiado, 20 kilometres from the central business district, Serare School is a day and boarding facility from kindergarten to high school.

The all-girls’ high school offers day and boarding alternatives with the boarders getting one day a month to spend at home.

Good Shepherd Academy

Good Shepherd is an all-girls’ boarding school sitting on 10 acres of land in Gilgil. Good Shepherd uses the 8-4-4 curriculum and is one of the better performers in the KCSE exams. It also boasts of a large playing field where students can engage in a variety of sports, and several clubs.

Chemelil Sugar Academy

It’s one of the better schools in Kisumu, with a total population of 306 students. This mixed boarding school is located in Muhoroni constituency on a 20-acre piece of land.

The school follows the 8-4-4 system of education and is regularly ranked in the top 100 schools nationally.
The teacher-student ratio stands at one teacher for every 17 students.

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Secondary

The school’s good performance for the last five years has seen it feature among the top secondary schools at the Coast. Located on the Mombasa-Malindi highway, the school provides quality education with separate boarding facilities for both boys and girls.

Since 1985, the school has expanded and now has three streams for each gender. For parents not comfortable having their children board, they could opt to have them as day scholars.

Moi High School- Kabarak

This private mixed boarding school shares a compound with Kabarak University and is located 20 kilometres from Nakuru town. Reputed for its Christian background, the school is consistently ranked among the country’s top-performing schools countrywide.

The school has a computer lab, swimming pool and a fully equipped library.

St Hannah’s School- Karen

Tucked away in the leafy suburbs of Karen, St Hannah’s provides an excellent and conducive environment for study. It comprises girls’ and boys’ schools, both offering the 8-4-4 curriculum. The pupils have aviation as an optional examinable subject taught in school in conjunction with facilitators from Wilson Airport.

For physical fitness, the school has a court for volleyball and basketball. Tuition fee for both schools is Sh84,500 per term.

Mustard Seed-Nakuru

This is a mixed, non-denominational school in Kiamunyi area offering education under the 8-4-4 and IGCSE systems. Aside from its state-of-the-art i-Tech lab, the school has a gym, two dining rooms, a basketball court and swimming deck.

The school has ranked among the top performers in KCSE, having registered a mean score of 8.85 in 2014. The school accommodates at least 250 students at a time.

Tuition fees for the 8-4-4 curriculum ranges from between Sh60,000 and Sh75,000 while that for IGCSE is between Sh80,000 and Sh90,000 per term.

Sacho High School

Established by former President Daniel arap Moi in 1982 the school, which is located in Baringo, provides quality education for both boys and girls.

In addition to doing well academically, ranking among the top private schools in the country in the last five years, the boarding school that is sponsored by the African Inland Church also instills Christian principles in its students.

Loreto Convent Msongari

Loreto Convent Msongari is a girls’ Catholic school located in Lavington offering day and optional boarding facilities. The school offers both 8-4-4 and IGCSE curricula.

Loreto Convent Valley Road is also a girls’ school located in Kilimani.

Pioneer High School-Murang’a

Pioneer High School is located in Maragua constituency, and is a boys’ only secondary school. The boarding school is famous for the aviation classes it offers to students, making it a suitable choice for the child whose ambition is to be a pilot. The institution is a good place for them to kick-start their careers.

Materi Girls-Tharaka Nithi

Materi Girls High School is a well-known education institution, especially in the Meru region. The school was founded on strong religious mores where students are required to adhere to societal norms. As a result, there are no written-down rules for the students.

Entry to the school is competitive and those who hope to join must undergo a number of interviews. It performs well with the majority of students joining local universities.

Abu Hureira Academy

Located in Mombasa Island the mixed secondary school is centred on Muslim religious principles while providing the 8-4-4 curriculum. The school also offers pure Islamic studies.

The day school started in 2001 has grown in both size and performance to feature among the best schools in the Coast region