In Kenya, the contemporary society treats secondary education as a crucial stage of education in providing an essential foundation for career opportunities.
It is foundational to vitally conclude that a secondary education certificate is entirely the key to vast career opportunities.
This is the primary reason the Ministry of Education, heads of institutions, educators, learners and parents pay attention to good results.
However, at St. Andrews Tarabete Secondary, a cosmopolitan school located in Naivasha, learners are not only taught how to read and write and perform well but are also taught vocational skills, creativity and innovation.
About the school
St. Andrews Tarabete Secondary School is a uniquely and purposely designed center of excellence to educate a future generation of leaders that will not only help shape a sub-county in a country of the East African community but also for the African continent and the global society.
“It has always been our aim to produce competent students of great academic abilities; young energetic people equipped with relevant knowledge and skills that will enable them into various competitive job industries. We not only teach students on Intelligence Quotient but also on Emotional Quotient, Adversity Quotient as well as Social Quotient,” said the school’s Principal, Mr. Isaac Kibet, during a recent interview.
Accessibility, admissions and discipline
St. Andrews Tarabete secondary school is located in the Great Rift Valley, Naivasha sub-county, Nakuru County, overlooking Lake Naivasha, about 30km from Naivasha town along Moi North Lake road.
This is a cosmopolitan community that is marginalized due to poverty, and therefore many had previously had no access to an adequate education.
“Although St. Andrews is a Christian school, we welcome students of other faiths. We believe in equipping our students holistically through the provision of spiritual, academic, professional, vocational, and artistic skills development that will enhance their abilities, talents, and special gifting,” explained the principal.
He adds that the school environment is designed to help the learners to excel in life, emphasizing leading a Christ-centered life of Biblical values.
On the issue of discipline, no parent wishes to receive morally decayed children from school.
Commenting about the students’ discipline in the school, Ms. Patricia Mueni, the school’s deputy principal, says, “We are parents, and we wouldn’t want our own children to come back home useless because of indiscipline. In the same spirit, we don’t entertain indiscipline. We mold our students uprightly.”
She adds that the institution has adaptable rules and regulations, and the management looks into every child’s welfare. She attributes the better part of the discipline imparted to the youngsters to the Guidance and Counselling department, headed by Jackline Livale, assuring that the students are well guided.
“All teachers, Heads of Departments and even the students’ council are the stakeholders obliged into not punishing any student but guiding them. We have very minimal indiscipline cases, which are so rare!” said Mueni.
Talent growth
The school is endowed with committed teachers who nurture the learners’ talents in various co-curricular areas, including games, music, drama, chess, and athletics, and a profound Creative Writing and Book Review Program.
“Students learn best when their mental health is optimized; the only effective therapy for this is physical exercise. We don’t do games only to compete but nurture such talents and improve learners’ performance abilities,” Mr. John Wathigo- Head of the Games Department, reports.
The institution offers an 8-4-4 curriculum system of education with English, Mathematics, Kiswahili, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, CRE, Agriculture, Business Studies, Computer Studies, and History and Government as subjects. It exposes learners to a wide range of career choices.
“We have good facilities in the school. Better still, you will love the geographical alignment of the school’s infrastructure, an equipped library, accommodative dormitories, computer studies laboratories, equipped laboratories for sciences, and spacious dining hall and classrooms,” says the principal.
With the introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum, the school is keen on forming an effective transition that will accommodate the interests of all learners.
It has a population of more than 700 students as of 2022 and is projected to increase to 1000 students by 2024.
“We are determined to produce self-reliant, goal-oriented, and academically competent learners that suit global standards. In this regard, we don’t leave anything to chance; we actively involve and promote creativity and innovation.
The same reason resulted in St. Andrews Tarabete Creative Writers and Book Club, whose aim is to create new knowledge, impose a rewarding reading culture, and result in academically and professionally sufficient products,” says Mr. Bonface Otieno, the club’s Patron.
The club is set to have the first launching event of its debut poetry anthology written by the students and published in 2022, on March 5, 2023.
“The creative writer’s forum is meant to train students on the value of writing, and reading and to produce original and independent literature. It aims at making the students think and explore the world,” inserted the librarian and coordinator of the club, Ms. Teresia Mwangi.
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Well, you may consider your child joining such a wonderful school or be interested to know more you can reach the school’s principal on +254 727 757 009 or email the school at standrewstbt@gmail.com.
You can also follow them on Facebook @St. Andrews Tarabete Secondary.
I’m a proud teacher at St. Andrews Tarabete school. It always gets better here. A school of infinite possibilities
It must be refreshing to work in such an innovative environment. Keep it up, Sir.