Simba School
Date started: November 2005
Date completed: March 2008
Cost of project: £80,000
Size of school: Double stream school built for 640 pupils
One liner: One of KST's most impressive schools built so far. It can be seen by everyone travelling on the Gilgil-Thompsons Fall road. The old building had two condemned classrooms and all others were incomplete and badly over-crowded. There appeared to be no plans for restoration.
Pictures:
The new school in all its glory!
The old school had two condemned classrooms, no concrete floors, no verandahs, few windows, inadequate ventilation and leaking roofs and no fresh water. It did have, however, a remarkable Headmaster.
The new 4 classroom block extension nearing completion. It will be ready for the September 2011 start of term. The two central classrooms have a concertina door so the whole school can gather under one roof, if required. It may also be used for local functions with hire charges being added to the school’s account.
Vastly improved school classrooms provide an excellent learning environment for pupils and encourage good teachers at Simba Primary School.
Current Status: There are 540 children learning in this school, many of whom were 'Internally Displaced Persons' (IDP) following the post election chaos in 2008. It seemed few, if any, would return to their former homes in Western Kenya. Although some have gone the school numbers remain largely the same due to new children from across the road arriving in ever increasing numbers.
More info:
The Handover Ceremony of the main block was held in February 2008. It
was a colourful ceremony with the Guest of Honour being the new MP.
New housing nearby has increased the number of local pupils at Simba
(see above). The magnificent new library is very well stocked with
thousands of reading books. The new staffroom has personal desk
spaces and lockable cupboards for all members of staff. Mr Wathuta,
the headteacher, was been given a five year extension by the
Government of Kenya in line with their new policy. He will eventually
retire in 2013. Remarkably the pupils under his leadership were the
fifth most improved government school in the Republic in 2009! In
his typically generous way, he gives much credit for this
extraordinary result to KST.
KST made designs
and plans for an extension to this remarkable school increasing it by
a further four classrooms and a 75 cubic metre rainwater tank. A
very generous corporate sponsor donated the necessary funds. In
early September 2011 the new classrooms will be available for use (see photo
above).
In February 2010 a beautiful model aeroplane, in the
livery of those aircraft that brought thousands of library books to
Kenya for Simba Primary School, has been mounted in a glass cabinet
and positioned centrally in the library. The model is presented
annually to the pupil who, in the opinion of the headteacher, has
contributed most to the life of the school. The names of winners are
recorded for all to see. It is hoped that this award will inspire
future generations of young children at the school.
There are currently two qualified teachers paid, in part, by KST and two assistant teachers from the pool of Langalanga Scholarship Fund Form 4 Leavers working at Simba.