Education
Primary School Education
Before the advent of free primary education in January 2003, the cost of sending children to primary school was prohibitive. Because few families in the slums could afford the school fees, children were sent to the streets to sell groundnuts or to get money for food by any means possible.
Although primary education is now financially supported by the Government of Kenya, MPC supports the four schools through the provision of additional teachers and funds to enable students to participate in extra-curricular activities such as music, sport and occasional outings.
Primary School Education caters for over 4,500 children ranging in age from 4 years to 16 years. The school system in Kenya is very exam orientated. This is difficult for the slum children because of the lack of facilities and stimulation at home. MPC has introduced Child-Centred Education where the emphasis is on the individual child, the building of self-esteem, learning through play and discovery, and a positive approach through music, art and acrobatics.
All the MPC schools, in conjunction with the World Food Programme, serve a hot meal daily to the children. In addition we serve porridge at the short break time in the morning to all the smallest children. This is a wonderful incentive for the children to come to school, as very often there is little food at home. The four MPC-operated schools are:
Kayaba Primary School
Kayaba school is located in the very centre of Mukuru slum. Back in 1985 when first constructed, it had an enrolment of 200 children that has grown very fast over the years and now caters for over 1200 children. There are thirty-two (32) teachers. This school is being rebuilt and will provide very fine accommodation for pupils and staff early in 2010.
St. Bakhita’s Primary School
St Bakhita’s school is located on the same site as Head Office and Skills Training Centre. It has an enrolment of about 1000 pupils. The classrooms are built of iron sheets. Access to the school has been improved with the recent completion of the road and new bridge over the Ngong River. The river remains heavily polluted because of the rubbish and sewage that is frequently dumped into it. With one of our partners, Child Fund Kenya, we are implementing a safe water program in this school along with the other MPC schools. Education for safe water is vital, especially since there is currently an outbreak of cholera in the nearby slum villages.
St. Elizabeth Primary School, Lunga Lunga
Largest of our primary schools with an enrolment of over 1320 children and 32 teachers, Lunga Lunga School performs very well in the academic field and their school choir usually appears in the top five in the country. The Lunga Lunga choir also has the distinction of producing a CD of their music.This school has now been in existence for fifteen years, having started back in 1991. This school, (along with the Kayaba school), is being rebuilt and will be ready for occupation in 2010.
St. Catherine’s Primary School
Has an enrolment of over eight hundred children. The number of girls attending school is higher than the number of boys. Overall the daily attendance is quite good. Our Social Workers keep a close watch on the children and those who drop out are sought after and given some guidance and counselling and encouraged to return to school.
Secondary School
St. Michael’s Secondary School
MPC opened the doors of St. Michael’s Secondary School to 45 students into Form 1 in January 2008. All students live in the local villages around Mukuru. In 2010 it offers education to Forms 1,2 and 3. The school provides education in 13 recognized subjects and its facilities include a Science laboratory, library and prayer room. Students have access to the Skills Centre Computer laboratory while awaiting the development of its very own computer lab.
St. Michael’s is proud of its ability to provide a caring environment and to foster a positive approach to all aspects of life within the school community and beyond.
Secondary School students in the library
Our Motto
“EDUCATION OUR HOPE”
“ELIMU TUMAINI LETU”;
MPC Sponsorship
MPC also runs a sponsorship program to enable students who qualify, but who cannot afford to pay fees to access secondary education. The program also caters for a number of disabled pupils.
Skills Training
St Bakhita Skills Training Centre
For those students who do not proceed to secondary school we offer skills training through the St Bakhita Skills Training Centre.
The skills training centre is specially designed to impart practical skills to students with a view to future employment. The course includes: dressmaking, hairdressing, knitting, crafts (including beading, weaving and tie and dye cloth) catering, computer studies and self awareness skills.
The hairdressing and computer labs, which were established in 2006 with the help of Colomer group and the British Airways respectivley, have been of great assistance, since they are equipped with modern facilities that would not have been accessible otherwise to the vulnerable members of the population.
The centre had it's first graduation class in December 2006 and has since held several other ceremonies for students on completion of different courses.
The centre has in place a production unit.That has been undertaking many different orders among them, producing the uniforms for all the primary schools & St. Michael secondary school, the Rehabilitation centre, dustcoats for the Clinic staff and the Skills training centre students’s uniform.
The St. Bakhita skills training centre has a Head of Department with five instructors and one production unit head.
