The
school year in Meru begins in January, and ends in November. There
are breaks in April, August, and December. Tuition and/or fees are
required at all levels. Our sponsored children attend schools in the town of Meru and surrounding villages. The students are taught both Swahili (the national language) and English.
Primary
School, Standards 1 - 8
Primary standards correspond with our elementary grades 1-8.
Primary
education begins at the age of 6 or 7 after completion of a year or
more of kindergarten, known locally as nursery school.
There are some primary boarding schools, but most students attend
public day schools and live at home. Schools
start about 7 a.m. Students go home for lunch, and are back
in school until about 5 p.m. In some cases they carry lunch to
school. Nearly all students walk to school.
Secondary
School, Forms 1 - 4
Secondary forms correspond to our high school grades 9-12. The
majority of secondary schools are boarding schools, some of these
being a distance from the student’s home. Since the tuition costs
are higher, some villages/communities do fund raising (harambee) to
enable their children to attend. Attending a boarding school also ensures
that the student is provided with adequate food and shelter.
National
Exams
The
Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE)
During
the fall of Standard 8, the students complete two days of exams which determine whether they will attend secondary school and which
one they will attend. Approximately two-thirds of the students will qualify
for secondary school. Some of the other students will continue to vocational school or an apprenticeship. The option also exists for a student to repeat Standard 8.
By the end of Standard 8, the young graduates are literate. Literacy opens doors for further
training and for independent voting. It allows them increased opportunity for improving their own lives, as well as the lives of their family and community.
Kenya
Certificate of Secondary Education
(KCSE)
During the fall of Form 4
the students complete several weeks of exams. They receive a letter grade that determines whether they qualify for university education or entry
into other tertiary colleges. The results are not received until
March, and at this time it is not uncommon to have a family decide to
have their child return to secondary school in an attempt to raise
their grade on the exams and thus expand their future opportunities.
Your commitment to sponsorship ends with the term when the student
completes the exam for the first time.