Orphans and less privileged in the society have found a home in Clay international Secondary School, which has been going from strength to strength ever since it was incepted in 2005 to get a mean score of 9.3 in the 2023 KCSE.
The not-for-profit school has been topping in the sub-county, and only Mbooni Girls stood in their way to the top of the county.
In this school, hope begins for the children as they enter through the gates. Here they are reminded that one’s history is a story to tell but not a place to live in.
Narrating the story to Education News in his office, the director and co-founder of the school Benson Mutua noted that the first class sat KCSE in 2009 and managed a mean grade of 7.0. Since then, they have never looked back.
Mutua himself was brought up in the then children’s home before it was upgraded to a school; the very reason he has the passion for bright needy children for he understands the pain better.
“You see, ours is not about grades but we like to mentor these children to become useful in the society. They are very bright and hardworking,” he said.
He said the high number of the students who turn up for interviews to join Form One is sometimes overwhelming, noting that this year they got 207 applicants and can only take in 30.
“It’s always my lowest moment and it tears my heart apart when I have to dismiss those who do not qualify to join us,” Mutua said.
The students get full scholarships up to Form 4.
He noted that the 466 who have gone through the school are meaningful people in the society, revealing that they do a follow up on their students even after they join university.
The principal Daniel Muthoka, who happens to be a former student and beneficiary of the same scholarships, noted that the school had a mean grade of 7.3 in 2022 before shooting up to 9.357 last year. They are now targeting 9.5.
He said the results are a reflection of what the teachers have been doing with support from the board, sponsors, director and very cooperative parents.
“Our students are disciplined and very hardworking. We are also guided by the word of God,” Muthoka said, observing that teachers always turn out as friends and mentors of the students to produce dependable citizens.
One unique character of the school is its humble cultural outlook.
“Our classes have that traditional round design to reflect our heritage. We also teach them to farm to get an idea of how food is grown so that they do not just see it on the table,” Muthoka said.
By Lydia Ngoolo
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