Tucked into the heart of the densely populated Alidina slums in Jomvu, it represents a ray of hope that illuminates the otherwise bleak future of the children.
Some of the less fortunate ones have to walk tactically for about 30 minutes to escape the depressing conditions at home and in the neighbourhood and at least get to the ‘safe haven’ that the school has become for them.
Leads School, a beacon of hope, has also become somewhat an equalisation factor for the about 20,000 people leaving in Alidina slums.
The less fortunate here feel they also have a future that they can cling onto because they mingle with their counterparts who can at least afford two meals a day.
“Excellence,” says their motto on the school badge, and that is exactly what it is providing for the pupils.
Leads School outperformed itself in the just released 2020 KCPE exam results, sending the neighbouring informal settlers into a frenzy.
“We are happy because this is our hope. The school administration is like no other that I have seen. My child has never been sent home for lack of school fees despite the huge debt I owe the school,” Mary Awuor, a parent told the Star, tears of joy falling off her eyes.
She has a daughter in Standard 6.
With a mean score of 372 marks for 68 pupils, Leads School improved on its performance in the 2019 KCPE exam in which it managed a mean score of 368 for 60 candidates.
However, the number of candidates with 400 marks and above dropped from 15 in 2019 to eight in 2020.
Solomon Chimerah, 14, was the best performing pupil at the school with 405 marks.
Admirably speaking in fluent English, a confident Chimerah, who aspires to continue chasing his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, wants to join Alliance Boys High School. He said he would have performed even better had Covid-19 not disrupted education.
“It has been a great journey despite the Covid-19 pandemic. I thank my teachers and parents for the support they gave me,” Chimerah said.
Glen Maraga, who was second best with 403 marks, dreams of becoming an engineer. He also want to Alliance Boys.
“I was striving to get over 400 marks and I have achieved it thanks to the support of my family, teachers and God,” Maraga said.
The school’s managing director, Elizabeth Wafula, said parents have played a big role in the performance.
Through cooperation with teachers, the parents have made it easier to run the school, she noted.
Wafula told the Star the school tries to play its part in helping the community.
“We are more of a give-back-to-society project,” he said.
This is because, like Awuor said, at no time has a pupil been sent home for lack of fees.
“We understand the predicament of some of the parents here because all of the children from the community have an equal chance of joining the school,” said the managing director.
It does not matter the background of the family. She said the bright, the average, the needy and the able, all have an equal chance of joining the school.
“The few who are able to pay, pay. Those who cannot pay benefit from those who can pay,” explained Wafula, adding that the school pays for the less fortunate who cannot afford the fees consistently.
“We appreciate the work that all have put in. This result is their reward.”