HABARI NEWS: MAY 2018
Dear Friends of Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School Narok Kenya.
The school reopened for the second trimester this year on May 2 after Easter break. Kenya has been experienced torrential rains in the last few months and this cause destruction in many areas affecting families and even school structures. Schools in some part of the country remain closed two weeks after re-opening for second term because of floods. Hundreds of school-going children had to stay home as roads were rendered impassable. The local paper Standard reported that “a few students who braved and walked through the flood waters, however, could not attend classes as most classrooms were filled with water. Facilities such as pit latrines were also submerged in water causing further problems in the education sector. Teachers in some areas of the country are said to have turn away students until the water levels reduces during the first week especially in day school.
Students of Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School reported back at a very slow pace because of difficulties in transportation and fear of swollen rivers. Some parents and their children had to walk for some distances some taking two days to reach a town where they could get means of transport to Narok (School). Some of our students took as long as three weeks to report to school because of the rains. Torrential erode farm land and destroy cops that can not take a lot of water.
This trimester we were able to enroll a few 15 new students who had applied to transfer to Father Ntaiyia School. As the result of this we got a large number in our 5th. Grade which has made us to split he class into two and are now looking for a for a new teacher. I am also informed that nine students transferred to other school from ours. As I had explained in the past, parents are free to take their children to other schools just as they are free to bring them to Father Ntaiyia School. There are various reasons that make this to happen, such as not being able to pay for school fees, relocating to other areas away from the school. Currently the we have 272 children in Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School.
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: Teachers and students resumed learning activities as students were reporting back. First tests have been made that are intended to bring students back to class after a break as well as connecting previous trimester work with the new. Apart from class work this trimester has Ball game and music for extra curriculum in which they are expected to compete with other school before the end of the trimester. Practice of Ball games has been hindered by the continual rains as this can only be practice outside in the fields. The school matron has informed me that due to prolonged rains many children are having common cold and malaria. She to take some children to the hospital practically every other day. generally, the school is back to normal learning after the break.
BAPTISM IN OUR SCHOOL: Religion is taught in schools in Kenya and is part of curriculum for public examinations. Some parents also allow their children to be catechized for faith and in Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School we can provide this service given by the Priests of the Parish in which the school is and their catechist. Each year we have had students Baptized and even confirmed when the Bishop visits the Parish. May 27, there were 13 baptized and 5 made their first Holy Communion. Their parents who had given consent were invited to the celebration. Friends of Father Ntaiyia School by now understand we cannot turn away any child because of religion, and that we do not allow Catholicism to dominate the school such that others feel unconfutable. I am thankful to the Priests of the parish, their catechist and our school Sisters and teachers for helping the children embrace and practice their faith. In Kenya it is mostly in schools where children find faith. Father Ntaiyia has often explained how he found his faith while in a public school with catholic teachers in 1963 about four miles from where Father Ntaiyia School is situated now. 
EDUCATION IN KENYA
In 2003, the government of Kenya instituted a free primary education for all program, and then did the same for secondary (Hight School) education in 2008. As a result, nearly three million more students were enrolled in primary school in 2012 than in 2003 and the number of schools has grown by 7,000. Between 2003 and 2012. More recently, the impact of the free education for all program is reported to be seen at the university level, where enrollment numbers have skyrocketed, more than doubling between 2012 and 2014 as the initial regiment of free primary school children have begun enrolling in university studies.
Nonetheless, much progress in educational quality and access remains to be made in Kenya. It is reported that in 2010, one million children were still out of school, and while this was almost half the number in about ten years, it is claimed to be the ninth highest of any country in the world. Issues related to educational quality persist, especially at the primary (elementary) level, with illiteracy rates increasing among students with six years of primary schooling. Over a quarter of young people are said to have less than a lower secondary (High School) education and one in ten did not complete primary school. I occasionally share such reports to give a picture of thanksgiving to our Friends who have supported Friends of Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School over the last ten years to realize such a learning institution that will continue to give hope to many families in many years to come.
DEVELOPMENT: Friends of Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School Charity BOD postponed our April meeting for reasons that could not be avoided but hope to meet in the second week of June. It is through these Directors that we look in things that have been done and that need to be done with donations that come to us through the Charity. Most important is to finalize reports and expenses that were approved for last year and to look at what we need to do, or the school need this year that can be supported by charity fund. In the spirit of “no gift is too small” donations from our friends enable us to meet school expenses such as repairs, text books and other teaching materials. The year 2017 was an expensive year because of drought in Kenya staple foods and other school supplies became very expensive, but we were able to keep the year going without increasing school fees.
Fr. Symon Peter Ntaiyia