Kagumo High School
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| Kagumo High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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Kiganjo, Nyeri County, Kenya. Nyeri , P. BOX 69-10102 | |
| Information | |
| Other names | Kagumo School |
| School type | National School |
| Motto | Struggle For Excellence |
| Established | 1933 |
| Sister school | Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School |
| Category | National School (Cluster 1) |
| School code | 08200007 |
| Principal | Dr. Silas Mwirigi |
| Teaching staff | 50+ |
| Enrollment | 2,000+ |
| Average class size | 48 |
| Classrooms | 52 |
| Houses | Kimathi House
Muhoya House Wambugu House Aggrey House Washington House Kraph House Wilberforce House Dr. Kamunge House Makau house |
| Slogan | Developing Gentlemen Of Consolidated Intellect |
| Song | Mungu wetu, twakuomba,ushindi uwe wetu. Kwa masomo na michezo, tuzidi kuongoza. Kwa imani twakuomba, amani upendo umoja. Ibariki,ibariki, Kagumo shule yetu. |
| Nickname | Kaggz/Kabau |
| Rival | Nyeri High School |
| National ranking | 1 |
| Newspaper | The Emerald |
| Alumni name | Kagumo Old Boys Association (KOBA) |
Kagumo High School is a boys national high school located between Kirichu and Kiganjo townships on the Nyeri-Nanyuki road in Kenya.[1] The school was founded in 1933 as a primary institution in Gatitu, with the goal of developing trainable artisans for Native African training depots.[2] In 1958, the school relocated to its current location in Kiganjo on land given by Chief Wambugu wa Muigua.[3] Kagumo High School has grown and developed a reputation for academic excellence. In 1946, it was one of the first schools in the country to allow Africans to sit for University Level Entrance Exams,[4] and it became a national school in 2012 with a student population of 1200. Today, the school has 11 streams[5] with a population of over 2,000 students. Kagumo High School has produced a number of notable alumni[6] in various fields, including politics, law, business, and medicine.
History[edit]
Kagumo High School is a boys-only national school[7] located in Kiganjo, Kenya. The school's history dates back to January 1933, when it was founded as a primary institution at Gatitu, with the goal of developing trainable artisans for the Native Industrial Training Depot at Kabete.[8] The land on which the school was built was granted by the colonial government through the intervention of the Local Native Council[9] in the late 1920s, and the first buildings were constructed by the businessman and philanthropist Ernest Carr.[10]
At the time, the school catered to the educational needs of African students, who were excluded from white schools. As demand for African education continued to grow, the school was converted into a normal primary school offering classes up to intermediate level. In 1944, a teacher training college, Kagumo Teachers Training College,[11] was started alongside the primary school, with Alexander Gitau and Joseph Koinange as the first students. They did not have to go very far for their practical teaching as the primary school was in the same compound.
In 1949, the institution set up a secondary section, but the teacher training section remained. In 1951 Kagumo presented 18 students for the “O” Level examination,[12] and they all passed for admission to Makerere University College.
The land donation by Chief Wambugu wa Muigua[13] in 1958 enabled the school to relocate to its current location in Kiganjo along the Nyeri- Nanyuki Road. The move took place in May 1960, under the leadership of Reverend Douglas Melhuish. Despite initial challenges such as inadequate housing and a lack of laboratories, Reverend Melhuish oversaw the construction of several key structures that are still in use today, including the Assembly Hall.
From a primary school with 96 students in 1933, it became a national school in 2012 with a student population of 1200, and has developed into a national school with over 2000 students. The school has a reputation for academic excellence and has been a top choice for many students throughout its history. In 1946, it was one of the first schools in the country to allow native black Africans to sit for University Level Entrance Exams.
The construction of a branch railway line to Nanyuki was completed in 1931, opening up the Mount Kenya region. This played a significant role in the development of the area and the establishment of the school.
Notable alumni[edit]
- Wahome Gakuru
- Mutahi Kagwe
- Francis Kimemia
- Patrick Makau
- Kenneth Marende
- Anthony Muheria
- James Mwangi[14]
- Francis Nyenze
References[edit]
- ^ "Kagumo High School Website". Retrieved 10 December 2011.[dead link]
- ^ KIEREINI, DOUGLAS. "Tracing the origins of vocational training in Kenya's education". Business Daily. pp. 1–2.
- ^ Archives, Kenya National. "Paramount Chiefs In Kenya". Google Arts and Culture.
- ^ Old Boys, Kagumo High. "Do you know that in 1975, Nyeri's Kagumo High School sent more students to university than the entire North Eastern Province?". Kagumo Old Boys.
- ^ Tcha, Carol. "BEST STUDENTS IN THE 11th STREAM/ NEW CLASS./CLASS N". Carol Tcha.
- ^ KIEREINI, DOUGLAS. "Kagumo sets trend in local education". Business Daily. pp. 1–2.
- ^ Media Team, Educations News Hub. "Latest list of all national schools in Kenya". Education News Hub. pp. 1–2.
- ^ National Polytechnic, Kabete. "History of the Kabete National Polytechnic". www.kabetepoly.ac.ke/.
- ^ Kipchirchir, Joseph. "Establishing the role Played by the Local Native Council in the Development of Western Education in Nandi during the Inter-War Period (1923 – 1938)". www.citefactor.org.
- ^ "Europeans In East Africa". www.europeansineastafrica.co.uk/.
- ^ College, Kagumo. "Kagumo - Early History". kagumocollege.ac.ke/.
- ^ KIEREINI, DOUGLAS. "Kagumo sets trend in local education". Business Daily. pp. 1–3.
- ^ "TAG: WAMBUGU WA MATHANGANI". Gikuyu Documentation Centre. pp. 1–3.
- ^ "James Mwangi". Kenyans.co.ke. pp. 1–2.