A Message from Fr. Ntaiyia
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Early in the year 2004 I realized that the twenty-fifth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood was coming on December 7, 2005. I thought about how I wanted to celebrate this Jubilee since I was far from my family and not one to go much for a big feast. I had been thinking for some time of the best way for me to mark this event in a way that it will be memorable and helpful to my community in Kenya now and in the future. After reflecting on how education has transformed my life from a humble shepherd boy, my experience of positive returns in a Diocesan high school I started and headed for 12 years and recalling an African saying “I am because we are.” I thought the best fashion to celebrate my silver jubilee would be to build a primary (elementary) boarding school for my people who are still semi nomads in the Southern part of Kenya, Africa.

 

Inspiration to establish a school to mark my jubilee stems from my lowly background that cannot be more emphasized than visiting my home village and meeting my people in their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, men and women of my age who never had a chance to go to school and contrast the fact that from such a lowly background, because of going to school, my life was transformed in many ways even to be a priest and educator of my own people. A report by United Nations and USAID states that 40 % of school-aged children in Africa do not attend primary (elementary) school and 46 million African children have never stepped foot in a classroom. The goal of the international community is Education for all, with every child having access to a basic education by 2015. As much as we may want the Maasai to be educated, the problems my people face in trying to get education have become the concern of my heart. Poverty is manifested in many places and is likely to increase as many problems related to lack of education touch every family. Many children however are unable to gain admission to high schools, not because they are unintelligent but because of a poor foundation at the elementary level which renders them unable to make the grade at the standardized National examination. Our goal is to address this issue and prepare our children to successfully continue their education.

Biography:

  • Born January 5, 1948 in Narok Kenya
  • Shepherd, at age 10 taken away to boarding school under British colonial government act (1958)
  • After studies was greatly influenced by a Catholic Priests
  • Graduated from Minor Seminary St. Johns Rakwaro in 1972
  • Graduated from Major Seminary St. Thomas Aquinas Nairobi in 1980
  • Ordained a Priest December 7, 1980
  • Ministered in remote Maasai Villages in Loitoktok near Kilimanjaro
  • Started Diocesan High School for Maasai Boys in Lemek-Narok, Kenya (over 12 years’ time, built from scratch and was Principal)
  • Sister died leaving him with 5 young children; raised and educated the children with the help of his other sister, during the time the Boys School was being built and while serving as its Principal.
  • Completed Undergraduate Degree at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY (1990)
  • Graduate Degree; Education-M.S., at University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (1993)
  • Reappointed to High School; repeatedly recognized for Academic Excellence and Discipline above 20 other District Schools
  • Ministered in Diocesan Office and Cathedral Community Diocese of Ngong Kenya
  • 2004 Purchased 5 acres of land to build school in celebration of 25th Anniversary to the priesthood December 7, 2005 Jubilee.
  • Now ministering in the Diocese of Rochester, NY and overseeing both structural and academic development of Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School in Narok, Kenya.