By Nelson Komba
Following the unrest that we have witnessed recently in schools across the country, alumni from the same schools have been expressing their anger on social media. Others have blamed school heads for poor school management and lack of deliberate efforts to instill discipline in students as others have mentioned, with nostalgia how the dormitories now in ashes played a crucial role during their stay in school and how they enjoyed conducting dormitory ‘Kamukunjis’ to air concerns and even the inter- dormitory competitions at the end of the term.
Alumni have been a crucial component in the development education in Kenya: ranging from providing school to work transition coaching, mentorship, supporting Board of Management (BOM), and in volunteer teaching roles. According to a report by Future First, an organization that supports the development of alumni giving back to schools and developing alumni leadership, 93% of headteachers admit support in building and maximizing alumni associations would be useful at their schools. 68% of students lack access to any kind of information about relevant job information. We have seen positive development from proactive alumni like that of 2017 where Kananga High School alumni decided to build a Sh15 million ultra-modern laboratory at their institution.
Organizations like the Big Picture Learning Kenya in January 2021 launched a new program on alumni engagement which focuses on having some active alumni giving back to the community using the skills they have learned throughout the program during their high school years. They have engaged girls through their ‘Girl Rising Program’ which has aimed at using the power of storytelling to change the shift in gender myths, and biases that exist in the community. Kinyago alumni association is one to give credit, after being founded in 2008, it has continued to provide spiritual and academic mentorship and bringing quality speakers and organize events such as career days.
Mentorship
Alumni could visit the affected schools and provide mentorship especially on instilling good values. Students face many challenges especially with the current digital environment which exposes them to heavy content that can distort their minds and make it difficult for them to concentrate in class. Such mentorship can address pertinent emerging challenges students are facing that teachers are not trained on. Alumni can adopt a class or students they can be visiting towards the end of the term or the year. In schools where sports alumni have ventured into mentoring and coaching current students, they have indicated good progress and improved students’ confidence and overall performance in class. Schools setting up these mentoring sessions as part of the extracurricular activities can go a long way in alleviating some of the incidents we have seen.
Infrastructure Development
Active alumni associations have contributed greatly to building dormitories, classrooms, and even purchasing needed equipment. Alumni from these schools can set up a crowdfunding platform where alumni can contribute to help in the repair of the school which can reduce the burden from the disadvantaged parents.
Support Needy Students
Needy students who depend on bursaries and family well-wishers will have a hard time not only paying the requested amount but also affording essential needs to use in school. Alumni could identify such students and support them to get these essential needs to help them resume their studies.
It is very essential that schools open channels where alumni could reach them and provide support. Research indicates that we have so much potential in alumni that is underutilized.
Komba is alumni and Communications Coordinator, Generation Kenya
