Why Nanyuki High School is The Most Sought After School In Kenya

LAIKIPIA, Kenya, Apr 12 – With an impressive track record in both academic and co-curricular activities, Nanyuki High School is the envy of many candidates transitioning from primary school.

And after being the most sought-after school for the second year running, those at the prestigious institution of learning say that there is a reason it is second to none.

While launching the form one selection and placement exercise for the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination candidates, Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha said that 156,003 candidates selected the school against a capacity of 480.

“During the selection, as was the case last year, it became clear to us that a big number of candidates did not receive proper guidance and direction when choosing schools. This resulted in some schools attracting far many applicants against their capacities,” he said.

According to Nanyuki High School chief principal Oliver Minishi, apart from being a center of academic excellence, the institution has also invested heavily in nurturing its students’ discipline by molding them into outstanding members of society.

Further, an enviable relationship between teachers and learners has enabled the school to explore the student’s capabilities, both inside and outside the classroom.

“We build the character of our students and values. We believe in creativity among students in several ways, including introducing technical subjects so that they can explore and not just deal with academic work,” said Minishi.

The school’s reputation for a ‘learner-friendly’ environment has further inspired this remarkable ascendancy as the country’s most enviable learning institution.

In recent years, the school is said to have incorporated technical learning areas or subjects in its curriculum expanding on the more traditional subjects that students in the past became accustomed to.

“Technical subjects such as Aviation, Electricity, Building and Construction, Art and Design, Drawing and Design are but some of the subjects being offered to our students,” he said.

On increasing the number of examinable subjects from 15 in 2017 to 22 in 2022, Minishi says that the school has been likened to a ‘technical institution’.

Outside the classroom, the school has also invested in ‘brain stimulating’ activities such as chess and karate that have been credited for fostering disciple, hard work, creativity, and even ‘a can do attitude’ that allows learners to explore their full potential.

The school also excels in sports such as athletics, rugby, and football, representing the region at the national level.

Aspiring thespians are also allowed to express themselves through the school’s competitive drama programme.

Several lessons can no doubt be learned from the school that managed to transform itself into an academic giant – From scoring a mean grade of 5.8 in 2017 to 8.6 last year.

Minishi says that the school will continue to remain humble while at the same time challenging his students to surmount any challenges they face on a daily basis and convert them into great tales of triumph.

The school population is expected to increase to 1,400 learners once the form one admission is completed on May, 3,2022.

According to the Ministry of Education, Kabianga High School was the second most sought-after followed by Pagani Girls, Maseno School, Nakuru High School, Alliance Girls’ High school, Kapsabet Boys, Butere Girls High School, Mangu High School, and Moi Girls’ High School -Eldoret.

All the 1,225,502 candidates that sat their 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams have secured positions in secondary schools across the country.

And in line with the government’s 100 percent transition policy, no child will be denied access to secondary school education.