Thought for the week:
True character is built when no one is watching.
adapted from Coach Wooden
Jeana and I are often asked how we started working in Kenya. The short answer is I went to help an organization start a college of business administration, fell in love with the people of Kenya and decided to figure out how we could be serve these amazing people.
All this sounds logical and simple. The truth is how we ended up working in Kenya is anything but logical and simple.
Jeana and I met about 20 years ago. We worked in the Human Resources department of an engineering company together. During this time we found out we had a common interest in striving to help others. For Jeana this interest started when she was a child. One Sunday, while attending church with her mom a missionary came to talk about his trip to Africa. for Jeana the seed was planted!
As for me, I love a new adventure! I firmly believe we all have a purpose but few choose to follow their hearts prompting. It usually means breaking through fear and finding yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Out of your element so to speak. I learned at any early age I wanted to help people...not care for them, but teach them to exceed their own expectations and challenge them to be their personal best.
It took many years and experiences to prepare Jeana and I to take those early desires and make them into a reality in Kenya. Those early desires were the early indicators of our purpose.
This is why we do what we do in Kenya...it is our purpose.
Thank you for reading!
Debra
Former assistant minister for Higher Education Kilemi Mwiria who heads a taskforce on secondary school fees. Dr Mwiria said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented. PHOTO/FILE.
In Summary
- Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
A conference to review the proposed secondary school fees opens in Nairobi this morning.
In a statement, the chairman of the Task force on Secondary Schools Fees, Dr Kilemi Mwiria, said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented.
The proposed guidelines are to be introduced in schools in January if everything goes according to plan.
The conference at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa in Karen will bring together teachers’ unions, heads of secondary schools, representatives of parents’ associations, county education teams, religious groups, civil society organisations and Ministry of Education officials.
“Our objective is to come up with new guidelines through an inclusive and consultative process and ultimately make education affordable and accessible to all,” Dr Mwiria said.
The team was created in April and tasked with seeking views on ways and means to reduce fees. Although current guidelines stipulate that day schools should charge about Sh13,000 and a maximum for Sh26,000 by national schools annually, most charge three times the recommended fees.
Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
Schools are also known to insist on parents buying textbooks, stationery and non-essential items like hockey sticks.
Figure not enough
The government provides grants of about Sh10,265 per student every year to subsidise tuition fees in secondary schools, a figure that is likely to go up.
However, school principals have been insisting that the figure is not enough.
In this year’s Budget Statement read by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, the government promised to increase the allocation by about 33 per cent.
In a statement, the chairman of the Task force on Secondary Schools Fees, Dr Kilemi Mwiria, said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented.
The proposed guidelines are to be introduced in schools in January if everything goes according to plan.
The conference at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa in Karen will bring together teachers’ unions, heads of secondary schools, representatives of parents’ associations, county education teams, religious groups, civil society organisations and Ministry of Education officials.
“Our objective is to come up with new guidelines through an inclusive and consultative process and ultimately make education affordable and accessible to all,” Dr Mwiria said.
The team was created in April and tasked with seeking views on ways and means to reduce fees. Although current guidelines stipulate that day schools should charge about Sh13,000 and a maximum for Sh26,000 by national schools annually, most charge three times the recommended fees.
Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
Schools are also known to insist on parents buying textbooks, stationery and non-essential items like hockey sticks.
Figure not enough
The government provides grants of about Sh10,265 per student every year to subsidise tuition fees in secondary schools, a figure that is likely to go up.
However, school principals have been insisting that the figure is not enough.
In this year’s Budget Statement read by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, the government promised to increase the allocation by about 33 per cent.