Mang'u High School
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Mang'u High School is a national high school established in 1925, now located near Thika, Kenya.
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[edit] Early History
The school was started in 1925 by the Holy Ghost Fathers at Kabaa. In 1939, the school was moved to a new site at Mang'u Village on twenty-two acres of land and because of accessibility it became known as Mang'u High School.
However, the Marianist Brothers introduced an Aviation programme in Mang'u High School and there was an urgent need for expansion. Therefore, to create room for the Aviation programme, the Board of Governors decided to purchase a new site for the school. They acquired 214 acres six kilometres from Thika Town along the Thika-Nairobi Highway and in 1972 the Marianist Brothers moved Mang'u High School to its current site. The school was to be put up in three phases.
[edit] Academics
Mang'u High School has always welcomed changes and accepted new technology. It was the first school to introduce aviation as an examinable subject. It also remained one of the leading schools in promoting science subjects and endeavored to produce all round citizens, well grounded in moral and spiritual values while excelling in the academic performance with the school motto “Jishinde Ushinde” - which roughly translates to "conquer yourself to conquer".
Mang'u High School has consistently maintained itself as an excelling school. It continues to excel in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and is always among the top ten schools nationwide.[1] [2] The school is very competitive to join, and only the students who perform best in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education are offered admission, though there has been controversy in the past where powerful politicians secure a place for their children though they didn't perform well. In 2006 seventh nationwide. In 2007, Mang'u regained its original position by once again by leading the whole country in High school performance. Mang'u dethroned long time rival school Alliance, which dropped to the 9th position.
[edit] School Anthem (In Swahili)- Melody borrowed from Tanzania National Anthem
Mungu ibariki Mang'u High,
Ibariki viongozi wake,
Katika michezo masomo,
Mang'u High tuwe washindi,
Mang'u High na watu wake,
Ibariki, Mang'u High!
Ibariki, Mang'u High na watu wake,
Mang'u High tuwe washindi!
[edit] Alumni
Mang'u High School is a school that has made tremendous contribution to Kenya's history. The school boasts of a high profile of many successful alumni among them politicians, lawyers, businessmen, clergymen, scientists, engineers, doctors and pilots. Among the high profile politicians who studied at Mang'u High School are President Mwai Kibaki who attained the maximum possible score, former Vice-President Moody Awori, Cabinet ministers George Saitoti who was also a former vice president, John Michuki who also met President Mwai Kibaki at Mang'u and is a former school captain. Other cabinet ministers are Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, Kipruto Arap Kirwa, Cyrus Jirongo and the late Tom Mboya who was one of Kenya's principal leaders that agitated for independence plus other members of parliament. Other notable alumni include Cardinal Maurice Michael Otunga, Archbishop Ndingi Mwana Nzeki, Archbishop John Njenga who also met Mwai Kibaki and Moody Awori at Mang'u and says he taught Hon. Awori catechism. Others are Bishop Antony Muheria, Josphat Konzolo former director NSSF (National Social Security Fund) and Dr. Joshua Noreh who performed Kenya's first Invitro-fertilization.
In recent times the school has continued to produce great achievers, some of whom have been ranked in the top ten nationally in the KCSE exams. Past students have been admitted into top schools in the US, UK and Australia including Yale and Harvard.
[edit] Facilities
The first phase of construction was completed in 1972 and all the 253 students moved in. After that, very little has been done to complete the second phase and of course nothing for the third phase, yet the student population is already in the third phase. The nomadic nature of the school has greatly disadvantaged it, as a lot of physical facilities were left behind as it tried to find a suitable resting place.
It is gratifying to note that a school with such a strong Christian background was able to complete a chapel only in Year 2001. Out of the current 50 teachers, only 20 are properly housed in the school while the non-teaching staff are not housed at all. Most of them have put up temporally shelters within the school compound. The administration block meant for a staff of 15 (fifteen) now holds over 60 people. The school has no social or even a lecture hall. The playing fields are not graded.
The school vehicles were very old until recently when the management bought 2 new mini-buses- Thanks to the current administration led by Mr. Henry Raichena,DSM. However there is only one laboratory block, while some schools in the caliber of Mang'u High School have as many as eight laboratories. The science teachers have to perform some of the experiments at night, lunch-break, games time or during the weekend so as to cover the syllabus. Although the school offers Agriculture, there is no workshop. The school is not properly fenced and theft cases occur almost daily.
The Aviation students are forced to undertake most of their studies at Wilson Airport because there is no proper Aviation Workshop or a fuselage. The situation, however has changed over time with the acquisition of a Beechcraft 2 engine aircraft as seen in the picture, but with ever changing technology, the visits at Wilson are necessary to keep abrief with new technology. Mang'u High School has grown to four streams with an overstretched population of 800 students without the corresponding facilities. The library is in dire need of a face-lift, although to the school's credit it still has some very valuable books. A number of projects have been earmarked for construction with the proceeds from the funds raised.
Despite all the hardships, Mang'u High School has continued to be a centre for excellence.
[edit] School name
According to Bro. Ken Thompson who taught English for 15 years at Mang'u High School, "mang'u" is a Maasai word meaning "that's not me you smell." Bro. Ken said: "When the Maasai hunted lions in the tall grass, they would shout "mang'u, mang'u" to inform their fellow hunters of the situation!"
The school is also known as "'Dayton'" (although very few students are actually aware of this) because of the school's association with University of Dayton, a Catholic university founded by the Society of Mary (the Marianists) in 1850 in Dayton, Ohio, United States.
[edit] References
- Nation Media Group. "Guess who's top of the Class","Special Report" December 11th 2003
