Garissa High School is seeking assistance from its alumni and well-wishers to raise funds for enhancing facilities in the overcrowded institution.
The school’s management board emphasizes the pressing requirement to increase the institution’s capacity due to the large student population, currently totaling 1,600. Despite facing infrastructure challenges, the national school, established in 1969, consistently excels in examinations.
During his address at the school, Board of Management Chairman Mohamed Abdi emphasized the importance of aligning the institution’s national standing with adequate physical facilities, which have gradually become strained due to the large influx of admissions. The board has identified a number of urgent needs for the school to achieve its objectives.
“The parents and the area leadership have already done their part in terms of participating towards the school’s development. This time we feel we should engage the other part of the community like the alumni to contribute to the school generously,” said Abdi.
“We believe that the envisaged development will be achieved with your support. We are therefore appealing to the alumni to come in large numbers and support the school’s development,” Abdi added.
On December 14 this year, the school will host a fundraiser, marking the culmination of their efforts. Chief Principal Mohamud Dubat acknowledged the progress made since the institution’s establishment in 1969 but emphasized that more work is needed to align with its national standing.
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While in his office, the principal emphasized that despite the school’s strong performance in national exams, there is a necessity to enhance the facilities, which have become strained due to the large student population.
Dubat, who is an alumnus of the institution, revealed that areas requiring improvement include constructing a perimeter wall and a large dormitory to accommodate the substantial student population. Additional initiatives include setting up a workshop for metalwork and woodwork, constructing a larger mosque to accommodate the substantial student population, and building more houses for teachers.
“The parents are helpful, however many of them are poor and therefore they cannot fully sponsor the developmental projects of the school. The previous principals did their best in terms of not only protecting the school’s land but also maintaining the high standards of education. But we strongly feel that nothing much has been achieved since the school got national status,” Dubat said.
“It is for this reason that we are asking for help from our old boys and our leaders so that we can make the school a better place to learn and live,” Dubat added.
Despite limited resources, the school has secured 320 metres of fencing to protect against land grabbers, and an additional 200 metres will be constructed soon.
Dubat mentioned that the school owns a large tract of land, which would require significant time to fence if they depended solely on parents’ contributions.
Imran Hassan, a Form 4 student, expressed his fulfillment as his longstanding wish to attend Garissa High School became a reality.
He specifically highlighted the absence of a fence, which jeopardizes student security and leaves them vulnerable to drug peddlers. “Looking at the dormitories we are currently using, the number of students has crowded them. Definitely, this is not good since it gives room for communicable diseases to spread. We also don’t have a multi-purpose hall and use the dining hall,” Hassan said.
By Frank Mugwe
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