Parents reward pri school with Sh26m goodies for good results
Parents in Vihiga County have rewarded a school with a bus and multi million-shilling classroom block for consistently recording impressive performance in the national examinations.
The rare show by parents was started in 2015 and has seen parents of the public-run and Catholic-sponsored St Francis, Hambale primary get a Sh6.5 million bus and a Sh20 million three-storey building; the fruits of their fund-raising.
On Monday, they handed over the two gifts to the school by the parents during a ceremony held at the institution located at the heart of Mbale town, the seat of Vihiga County.
The school that has both the boarding and day sections has consistently registered sterling results in the Kenya Primary Certificate Examination (KCPE).
Last year, it topped in Vihiga Sub County with a mean score of 340 and fights for its academic space amid other giants such as Mululu primary, Mudasa Academy, Serve Academy and Shalom Academy.
While handing over the bus and the storey building, Board of Management chairman Eng Kennedy Keseko said the idea to award the school was borne by the parents in 2015.
Eng Keseko said parents “unanimously offered to fully fund the initiative through individual contributions despite a government restriction on additional levies being extended on parents by schools”.
“Parents decided to reward the good the school has done in instilling knowledge and discipline in children. That is why they are here to give this good gesture, a sign of their appreciation,” said Eng Keseko.
He went on: “The storey building has a library, 12 classrooms and a computer lab. We are giving back to the school for giving us good results.”
“Our school does not condone cheating in examination. Parents fully funded the two projects. We (parents) are now mulling buying a parcel of land that is adjacent to the school to enable the school expand,” added Eng Keseko, who is also the Lands executive in the county.
Sister Linet Ijai, a nun in charge of the institution, reiterated a culture of good performance that had led to parents celebrating the milestone attained by the school.
Last year, for instance, the school sent most of its candidates to national schools.
It emerged first in Vihiga Sub County, a record that has become a norm every year, and position five in the county.
Together with Mululu primary, they are the only public schools that are giving top academies sleepless nights.
Mudasa Academy was top in the county with a mean score of 389 followed by Shalom Academy (372), Serve Academy (368), Mululu (349) and St Francis, Hambale (340).
“We are happy to celebrate the milestones we have made in education. We appreciate the move by our parents and endeavour to make them more happy,” said Sister Ijai.