The Standard,
Wednesday March 2, 2005
By Alfred Oduor
Kisumu’s Aga Khan Primary School bears the name of the spiritual leader of the Ismaili faith.
Though his Highness the Aga Khan has never visited the school, his daughter has done so many times. But his organisations have been instrumental in founding many institutions, including schools, universities and hospitals, in Kenya and elsewhere in the world.
Aga Khan Primary in Kisumu is an example of these and has a lot to be thankful for. The private school is run by the Aga Khan Education Service-Kenya, an agency of the Aga Khan Education Network which operates 13 educational institutions in the country.
The agency is building a swimming pool, library, ablution block and waiting bay. It will also refurbish the playing fields. The Aga Khan Education Service has also provided the school with a 29-seater bus.
And this is not all. The agency also helps in teacher development. Teachers undergo regular courses, courtesy of the Aga Khan University in Pakistan. The head teacher, too, has undergone several courses sponsored by the Aga Khan Education Service. Last year, three teachers did a science course under that programme.
It is also mandatory at the school for teachers to prepare lesson plans collectively and at times combine classes and teach together. Ms Hawa Kayasi, the head teacher, says: "This makes them know their weaknesses and thus help one another. It also helps pupils understand better."
She adds that teachers’ work is made easier by the facilities at the school, all provided by the Aga Khan Education Service.
"We have almost all the facilities we need — text books, spacious classrooms, teaching aids and other educational materials," she says.
And it is not surprising that the school emerged tops in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations in Nyanza Province. It had a mean score of 375 marks.
The school presented 51 candidates, 18 of who scored 400 out of 500 marks and above. The best pupil got 445 marks and four were among the top 100 in the region. Only one candidate scored less than 300 marks.
But the school is not just a house for bookworms. Aga Khan Primary also excels in co-curricula activities. It does well in music. Last year, it scooped the top award for the best English choral verse at the national music festivals.
In drama, the school was feted for the best English play on child abuse and neglect. The school also got an award in the best scenic design and was second for costume and decor.
In sports, Aga Khan Primary is a powerhouse in lawn tennis and swimming.
But these achievements have not come on a silver platter but through hard work and determination
Ms Kayasi attributes the school’s excellent performance in academic and co-curricula activities to planning and teamwork among teachers and pupils.
"We work ahead of time. For example, we started planning for this term’s activities last November. Teachers prepare lesson plans and set exams before the beginning of each term," she explains.
The head teacher adds that the December holidays are dedicated to planning for the next term.
The school charges Sh7,500 a term, a figure Ms Kayasi describes as "affordable", considering the facilities Aga Khan Primary offers.
She says the school does not rely on parents to meet the cost of putting up buildings and recreational facilities.
"The fees only cater for tuition. Other costs are met by the Aga Khan Education Service," she says, adding that pupils are provided with all the text and exercise books they need.
The school has 608 pupils and 29 teachers. Its history dates back to 1919 when it first started on Oginga Odinga Road. In 1925, it moved to the ground floor of the Kisumu Jamat Khana.
But due to the increase in the number of pupils, Aga Khan Primary School was expanded. In 1945, the present site on the Kisumu-Busia Road near the Jamia Mosque was obtained. The foundation stone was laid in 1951 by Prince Ali Khan, who has since died.
In 1952, the school was opened by the then Governor of Kenya, Sir Evelyn Baring. The school expanded and grew with the building of four classrooms and an assembly hall.
The school motto — Nothing but the Best — is not just an empty slogan. Teachers and pupils not only recite it, but they also live up to it in all ways. It reflects the school’s excellent performance in academic and co-curricula activities.
Ms Kayasi admits that some private schools engage in unorthodox means to excel in national examinations. But this does not happen at Aga Khan Primary. She says good performance in national examinations should not be the only pre-occupation for schools.
"When you resort to such methods, deep down your heart you are not satisfied," the head teacher cautions.