Menengai High School
Class of 93 in Mombasa on Saturday /BRIAN OTIENO
Menengai High School
Class of 93 in Mombasa on Saturday /BRIAN OTIENO
Menengai High School
Class of 93 members with their former math teacher Joseph Ogema [in crutches]
in Mombasa on Saturday /BRIAN OTIENO
What began as a simple Facebook post in 2013 by a former Menengai High School student in the UK has grown into a transformative alumni movement, giving new hope to current students and revitalising the school.
The Menengai High School Class of ’93 has regrouped over the years to undertake initiatives aimed at uplifting their alma mater and ensuring educational standards remain high.
“She posted a curious note, wondering where her former classmates would be 20 years later,” Joseph Kang’ethe, a convener of the Class of ’93, said. This led to the creation of a Facebook group, and over time, the alumni network began actively seeking out members to reconnect.
The first reunion in 2013 at the Rift Valley Sports Club attracted only nine classmates, but subsequent gatherings have grown in size and ambition. By 2016, the group had launched its pilot project, sponsoring a Form 3 student who is now a technician at Safaricom.
Today, the Class of ’93 has 88 active members worldwide. Kang’ethe said their efforts have inspired alumni from other years to engage with the school. A member of the Class of ’75, for example, visited the school after it was repainted in 2019, sharing photos with his family and posting them on the alumni Facebook page.
At a reunion in Mombasa on Saturday, they revealed plans for a major facelift of the Nakuru-based school. Edward Papa, chairperson of the Class of ’93 alumni, said the gathering marked the sixth reunion but the first held in Mombasa.
The group has sponsored 15 needy students from Form 2 through university, with one student in her final year at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
In 2019, alumni funded the repainting of the school, and they have supported girls’ participation in science competitions, helping them achieve recognition as far as Silicon Valley.
Beyond student support, the alumni group has launched welfare programmes for members, providing assistance during medical emergencies, grief, and other crises. A mentorship programme is also ongoing to guide current students and shape their futures.
Papa expressed concern over the school’s current state, noting Menengai’s standards have declined since their time.
“We are trying to see, as a team, what we can do to bring back the glory of Menengai High School,” he said.
Alumni are now reaching out to other years to initiate collaborative projects, including renovating dilapidated buildings and addressing overcrowding, with reports of up to 1,000 students per stream.
Retired teacher Joseph Ogema, who taught math at Menengai for more than 35 years, attended the reunion as chief guest. He commended the alumni for their unity and urged them to expand their network to include other years.
“Eventually,
they should incorporate other alumni to form one big alumni body. Networks
formed in school help in future careers and in contributing to society,” he
said, admitting that while he is still trying to understand the
Competency-Based Curriculum (CBE), maintaining alumni ties remains invaluable.
