HABARI NEWS: MARCH / APRIL 2018
The month of March is the last of the three months of the first trimester of school year in Kenya. When school begins the last month of their trimester, both teachers and students look into two major events to take place in the next four weeks. The completion of trimester’s work and extra-curriculum activities and end of trimester internal examination and the second event that keeps students excited each day are end of trimester break. Teachers and students are reported to have taken their work with more effort after review of their half term exams with the parents on visiting day. There is always a reason to find out why a student has stepped down in points or generally when they have done well. It has been noticed that more parents are taking an interest in discussing the progress of their children with the teachers during their visits.
While academic learning is taken care of in the classroom there is out of classroom life that is taken care of by other staff members. Things seem to have improved in internal life of the school, kitchen and food, general cleanliness, games and generally community life. Such environment that makes students happy also helps them to pay attention to learning. I am thankful to the teachers and to all who work in the school. Some parents have noticed these positive changes during their visit and report that students are well taken care of.
The first two months of the year as I reported in the last blog were very dry, but the first three weeks of March had a lot of rain all over the country. Hopefully this will help with the farming so that staple (maize or corn and beans) food may be available and cheaper. It takes a while for people to recover from drought as early crops may take 3 months and animals may take about a year to recover fully. I mention crops and animals because for parents who are not employed for a salary these are their source of income that meets school fees for their children.
END OF FIRST TRIMESTER: It is about a month now since the schools in Kenya went for Easter break. The teachers reported that the students in Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School had improved in learning and other school activities during the first trimester that started in January. A good number of new students had been used to the school and those who needed extra tutoring to catch up with their classmates after transferring from other schools were reported to have done well. As I have mentioned in the past, the student who transfers to come to our school will have completed two or more years in other schools. Depending on the schools they come from some of them are very much behind the syllabus or are not on the same level in subjects (courses) as their classmates who have been in our school for a year or more. Once our teachers detect that a student needs more help to catch up with those in the grade they are joining in our school, then the student is coached.
EASTER CELEBRATIONS: This year Easter found the students in school about a week before they left for April break. I talked with all the students and staff when assembled in the students’ dining room, wishing them well for Easter weekend. I also reminded them that they should take their report forms and any letter given by the school to their parents. From the report of teachers and the pictures, the school community had a joyful Easter celebration and a meal together. This is always done when this Feast finds them in School.
LIFE AND EDUCATION IN KENYA : In March 10, 2018, a Kenyan local paper reported that poor families, some even in Kenyan Capital City, opt for private schools for their children. A new study reveals that more low cost private schools have emerged and charge fees affordable to the poor and that more than half of pupils in the Capital County attend these schools despite the introduction of free primary education 15 years ago. A study reveals that “Most parents in slum areas make great sacrifices to avoid public schools and place their children in private schools at financial cost, because they believe most private schools offer better quality education than public schools.”
March 23rd, 2018, ‘Standard’ a local paper in Kenya reported that “Half of Kenyan children are born into hopeless poverty and, sadly, have few prospects of ever breaking the cycle of destitution.” Simply put, they will most likely grow into poor adults who will bring forth another poverty-stricken generation. These are the shocking findings of the first ever study on child poverty. Report by a boss of UNICEF, the United Nations agency that looks out for children states, “Helping those children avoid poverty and overcome its damaging effects will make a huge difference to their lives, their families and ultimately the country.” Fears about bondage to poverty are informed by realities that such children would ordinarily miss out on education for lack of school fees. Schooling is believed and is the single most important breaker of the poverty cycle. For me (Father Ntaiyia) this is a reality given the outcome of the High School I started in 1987 when I met many successful alumni who are now bringing their children to Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School, and as we now look forward to the alumni of the Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School who will soon be out of colleges and universities.
OSAS: OLCHEKUT SUPAT APOSTOLIC SCHOOL: The above title in Maasai means: Good Shepherd Apostolic school. This is the name of the Diocese of Ngong Boys’ High school I started in 1987 when I was seven years ordained. I was in this school for about ten years. Many boys who went to this school when I was heading it have been successful in life and many are family people now who are bringing their children to Friends of Father Ntaiyia School. The Maasai people say, “A hyena will never forget where it picked a bone.” About 10 of my former students in this school are priests. I am very pleased to hear that one of these priests, Father Anthony Koikai whose mother was my classmate in elementary school in the 1960s, has become the first alumni Principal of this school. He took over the school on April 15, 2018.
RAINS AND FLOODS IN KENYA AS SCHOOLS REOPEN: Schools are reopening this week for the second term (Trimester), but as reported by daily papers, parents and students are facing difficulties following heavy rains and floods in some parts of the country that have affected learning centers. The raging floods are reported to have swept away homes and farms and some learners do not have access to their uniforms and stationery. In some areas public learning institutions are hosting displaced families meaning some learners have no place to call home. It is a sad situation. I have been in touch with Father Ntaiyia Jubilee School and as the report goes everything is alright there for students to come back and start their third trimester. Necessary repairs have been made during the break. As I finalize this letter today the schools’ reopening day, I have been informed that very few students reported back and that parents have been calling the school informing on difficulties of travelling because of the rains and floods in some areas where our students come from. Hopefully the children and parents who bring them back to school will have safe travel.
Fr. Symon Peter Ntaiyia