North Eastern Kenya has, for much of the country’s post-independence history, occupied a quieter place in the national consciousness than its people and potential deserve. Distance, limited infrastructure, and periodic security concerns meant the region was seldom considered when national events were planned. Perceptions, once formed, tend to persist. Last week, however, one school and one community offered the rest of Kenya a reason to look again.
The 62nd Kenya Science and Engineering Fair brought more than 1,540 students from every former province to NEP Girls Senior School in Garissa County. Over a full week, they presented 760 science and engineering projects, attended workshops on emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, shared meals, and lived within the host community. All returned home safely, many with first impressions of a region they had never before visited.
Kenya rotates the hosting of national academic and co-curricular events, yet no county in the former North Eastern Province had hosted one in over two decades. The reasons were understandable in their time, but the cumulative effect was that an entire region missed the chance to welcome the rest of the country. The 62nd KSEF proved it was ready, and had been for some time.
The fair’s success owed a great deal to the leadership of Senior Principal Ahmed Aden Noor. He oversaw every dimension of preparation with a thoroughness and personal commitment that drew wide praise. The school’s infrastructure was assessed and upgraded well in advance. Classrooms and exhibition halls were brought to a standard that impressed education officials and visiting delegations. The grounds were landscaped, greened, and beautified into a venue worthy of a national stage.
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Mr. Noor’s attention extended well beyond the physical environment. Student welfare informed every logistical decision, from accommodation that housed all 1,540 participants safely to food services that met both the dietary diversity and volume a gathering of this scale demands. It was this combination of meticulous planning and genuine concern for every participant that set the 62nd KSEF apart.
No principal succeeds alone. The teaching and non-teaching staff of NEP Girls Senior School worked with quiet dedication in the months before the event, preparing facilities, coordinating logistics, and ensuring that the school was ready to receive the country. Their professionalism was evident in every detail, from the condition of the dormitories to the smooth running of each day’s programme.
Equally deserving of recognition is the broader Garissa community. Local residents, businesses, and institutions opened their doors to visiting delegations with a generosity that left a deep impression. The hospitality went beyond what any event plan could prescribe, reflecting a community proud of its home and eager to share it. For many visiting students, principals, and teachers, the welcome they received redefined their understanding of the region.
The participating schools, too, deserve acknowledgement. Students who travelled to Garissa brought months of research and curiosity with them. Their principals and teachers, who guided the preparation of those 760 projects and accompanied young people on journeys that for some covered hundreds of kilometres, demonstrated the commitment to learners that sustains Kenya’s education system at its best.
A discreet, well-coordinated multi-agency security operation supported the fair throughout, preserving the learning environment without creating anxiety. The calm that characterised the week reflected broader progress in infrastructure and community collaboration across the region in recent years.
NEP Girls Senior School, under Mr. Ahmed Aden Noor’s leadership and supported by a dedicated staff and a generous community, has set a benchmark that future hosts will aspire to match. The 1,540 young Kenyans who experienced Garissa firsthand are the most credible witnesses of what the region can offer. It is open, it is welcoming, and it is ready for more.
An Independent Reflection by;
Ibrahim Hish
Former TSC Regional Director, North Eastern
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