In the heart of Nairobi, lies Kibra, the largest slum in Africa, characterized by overpopulation, drug abuse, crime teenage pregnancies and so much more in between.
The slum has an approximated 700,000 residents with little support from the government. Nevertheless, life in Kibra has to go on more like any other well-enabled hood.
In 2010 there was a new array of hope, that shined so bright to light up all corners of the shanties and cause a real lite up among the people in the hood.
This was Mr Isaiah Nyongesa who after touring the slum and starting a women’s organization (Restore a Life Women Group).
He financed the whole registration process, in addition; he opted to start a tuition centre to cater for the slum population’s educational needs.
But from the look of things, not all that glitters is gold!
Silver Springs Secondary School, a mixed secondary school in Kibra (Olympics) opened in 2010 by Mr. Nyongesa Isaiah.
He set up with the help of his late wife; Susan Mavou who passed away shortly afterwards.
Short Stretched Staff
The school that flooded with close to 200 students in forms one to four, in less than two months, is now facing the real wrath of the slum.
With the school in shambles of dilapidated classrooms, staffroom and laboratory, not forgetting ill infrastructure all combined, Silver Springs, the short-staffed Secondary school in Kibra (Nairobi Kenya), has managed since to take over 600 students to higher learning institutions.
This journey began back in 2013, with the school being tested in the national scope of academic performance and allowed a chance to participate in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) after three years of existence and service delivery, which saw their very first top student score a C Plain.
Nyongesa, who was let off as an accountant in 2008 after the bank he worked for was integrated, committed his entire pension as well as some of the family land to the establishment of Silver Springs.
He meticulously selected the school’s composition by including students who scored 150 marks and above in KCPE, but he again went further and admitted students expelled from other schools and rejected by others due to, drug abuse and addiction and victims of teenage pregnancies.
All this changed in 2018 with the government’s 100 per cent transition, through the Ministry of Education under Hon. Amina Mohammed then, with joint efforts and help from the Ministry of Interior led by Dr. Fred Matiang’i then, who saw through the policy being implemented.
This killed his 150 marks threshold for form one admissions but he traded safety on numbers at least he could manage.
Community Rehab Centre
The school, which also serves as a “rehabilitation centre,” has a staff that is short on hands.
This works out to only 15 teachers for a body of almost 300 kids. Only 7 of the 15 instructors on TSC posts were placed in the school in 2016, with the highest billed teacher receiving a meagre wage of KSH 13,000 per month, while the remaining 8 teachers are on voluntary service.
Nonetheless, the team has worked together to generate a student or two for campus admissions each year, as well as a reasonable number for other high-learning schools.
Imagine being examined at the national level in a school that doesn’t have a laboratory, leave alone the lab equipment and still you have practicals to conduct besides competing favourably with students from other schools in the country.
This is the exact situation at Silver Springs secondary school. Regardless of the rough and tumble of Kibera not to mention the poverty rates in the slum and the kind of students admitted to the school, the institution still managed 7 students landing campus admissions in 2022 KCSE examinations by attaining the C plus (C+) education ministry’s threshold for University entry.
When asked about his lowest moment, Mr Nyongesa alluded to the fact that he sometimes cries due to the situation in the school.
“The biggest challenge that has made me cry is that day the students miss their meals, this has made me shade a lot of tears.” He said. “..because missing a meal in the school kitchen means missing the same until the next day, 48 hours with no meal ain’t a joke.” Director Nyongesa added.
“On Tuesday 20 Jun 23, at Roysambu primary school Governor Sakaja wept, perturbed by the conditions of Nairobian schools, I think he should visit Silver Springs well-armed with lint-free tissues.”
And now Nyongesa is calling on Kenyans of goodwill to get on board and save the ‘wrecking academic ship’ at Silver Springs and all the slum hoods in the country. “So I’d like to call out a lot of people who may have the same interest in young the generation as I do, to join hands and support the school.” He said.
“…..and I think Governor Sakaja should visit the school too and do a project with us, I know it’ll be worth it.” Added the director.
In his humble opinion, Nyongesa thinks it would be better if the government through the Ministry of Education put in place a financing plan for private schools and even a better one for schools in marginalized areas.
“Private schools in Kenya are more like other schools, and we have our rough days too. So the government should include us during the budget allocation so that we could get capitation too.” Said Mr Nyongesa.
Dr Elizabeth Sherri, a fashion designer who’s been walking with the school hands-on for four years now, thinks that there’s more yet to be tapped from the students and with proper guidance they could do more. Besides she seconds the idea of private schools being financed too.
“These students have a lot of potential in them yet to be tapped, all they need is purpose and guidance for them to reform all around the clock.” She said.”……. and I additionally second the idea of the government including private schools in the school financing plan and projects too.” She insisted.
Sherri is in addition well-wishers who are willing to join her hands and invest in the school projects to create enabled environment, which in turn would ease crime in slum residential areas and create an enabling hood.
“Any Kenyan who believes in change and the vital role and power of education in transformation, is invited to join hands with me and my colleagues and together, let’s make an accommodating Kenya for all.” She said.
“….it’s a pity students trek all the way from Kangemi, Kawangware, and Kabiria only to meet this.” She added
Furthermore, the school’s performance in extra co-curricular activities is amazing, which is well evident for the school has managed to get two activities to the national level.
The school’s girls’ rugby team is in Kakamega ahead of the national school games in 2023.
Additionally, the school’s music students will be headed to Nyeri mid this week for the National competition with a choral verse to the world.
This is the second time the music group to appear in the Nationals with a piece, after a successful debut in the National schools’ competitions in 2018.
By, Selebwa Rankins Isia
