I am back to the US from Kenya after a four week visit that has been one of the most exciting and happy trip for me. You will all recall that I have been talking and sharing on the first graduating class in Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School for Nomads taking their final examination that would determine their future, either to go on with education in High School (Secondary School) or go home for those who would fail, meaning that the failures would have to go back to School for a year and retry the examination or there would be no more schooling for them.
End of last year’s examinations were the first for Jubilee school to be taken by the children who were recruited as 5th graders in 2009. The results of the examination were out on Monday February 25 about two weeks after my arrival in Kenya. Usually parents and children wait excitedly for the results of this examination that are announce when the children are home for holidays having ended their elementary schooling.
Like every parent I too was anxious and when they day came, I was afraid of the reaction of parents and children for those who would have failed and for that reason I decided to stay in my house away from the school for most of the day until all the results were known by all. I did not want to be met with tears by the children although those who took the exam were already at home waiting for results. The television in the school was on and all the staff and children were following the breaking news on the examination results live on TV. After the National report on the examination results which usually givers the leading schools and Districts, there followed telephone and other information on our local news and as this was going on I was called by one of the teachers after they learned that all our candidates had passed. I could hear through the phone that in school children were in dance and song celebrating after learning that all our children who took the exam passed and will go for secondary (High school) school education. I waited for a few moments and then I went to school to celebrate with the staff and children.
I thanked the teachers and all the other staff, I called Mr. Gideon Nkoyo who had been the Head teacher with these children informed him on the good job. We prayed with the children to thank God as we thought of many friends of Father Symon School for nomads, seven years of construction and setting up the school and encouragement by many, parents and friends. I felt I had all reason to be happy and thankful.
Following this by 3.00 PM hard copies of the results were in school and former students and some parents came to school to see them in order to figure out what kind of school their results would lead to, strong points lead to National schools followed by District (County schools) then local and private. Some students had also picked some forms from institution that promise to give scholarships and our teachers were helping to fill them even though there was no guarantee that filling the forms they will get help and all this was going on for some days. Before I left Kenya for the US on February 11, a number of students had already known the School that has invited them. We are happy to hear that our 2 boys (Maasai) and 2 girls (Maasai) have been invited to National Schools so far, others are still waiting for letters of invitation. It will take a while before all is sorted out but so far all is good news for us.
NEW ENROLLMENT 2013: This year the school enrolled children in class one (Ist. graders) who are day schooling and using the school dining room as a classroom. They are nine in number and I hope the number will remain less than 15 so that by the year they are in grade 3 there will be room for boarding children. The school also has enrolled new 3 graders as we have done in the past, there are also other new children enrolled in other grades. The school has a total of 224 students, 94 girls in boarding and 8 in day schooling, 111 boys in boarding and 11 in day schooling.
TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF: We got two sisters and not three as I had mention before, one is heading the school and the other is a cateress /domestic. There is little work on the house they will take as well as equipping the house for them. We also interviewed and hired three more teachers.
CONSTRUCTION: Currently the administration building, computer room and library are going on but slowly.
KENYA: Kenya has elections this year on March 4; we have been instructed to have children go home on Feb 28 because some of the schools are used as polling stations. Jubilee School may not be used as a palling station but the teachers have to go and vote and there is fear that election may not result in clashed as it happened last time. In any case the teachers are feeling that the children should go home and be with their parents.
Fr. Symon