Secondary Schools
Educational opportunities in Kenya tend to favour boys, and few girls go on to secondary school, particularly in rural areas. Many girls, on completing their primary school education, are expected to return home to help on the family farm until they marry. In addition, secondary education in Kenya can be expensive and many girls with potential are unable to attend secondary school because of limited financial circumstances. As a result, fewer girls proceed to secondary education in Kenya, and even less to tertiary education.
The Vanessa Grant Girls’ School (VGGS)
In 2008, The Vanessa Grant Trust embarked on its most ambitious project – the development of the Vanessa Grant Girls’ School (VGGS), a residential not-for-profit selective school for girls of secondary age, situated about 2kms from Rongai.
Fifteen acres of flat land were donated by Gogar Farm Limited for the School site, and the development of the School has had the full support of the Ministry of Education. Planning and site preparation was undertaken throughout 2008-2009, and with the first stage of building work completed – providing a classroom block, boarding facilities, kitchen and administrative facilities – the VGGS opened in 2010 with 19 enrolled students and 4 teachers.
Take a virtual tour of the Vanessa Grant Girls’ School here.
Development of the campus has continued from there with the core teaching facilities completed in 2016, largely funded by donors: multiple classrooms were added together with residential boarding blocks, a science laboratory, computer hardware, fixtures and furniture. By 2018, the School was enrolling over 400 girls annually, and it has become a highly ranked academic school in Kenya. The development of new infrastructure and facilities has been ongoing, with a chapel, resource centre, dedicated science laboratories, staff housing and sporting facilities added together with regular upgrades to existing facilities and security as the School has developed into an outstanding learning facility. 2023 saw the commencement of a major project to convert the School to solar power and heating.
With almost 50 staff members, the VGGS provides a first-class education, delivering the Kenyan curriculum with particular emphasis on excellence in IT and science within a strong and secure community. In addition to the academic curriculum, students are exposed to a variety of technical subjects such as Music, Home Science, Art and Design, French, Computer Studies, Agriculture, and Business Studies, together with a wide range of sporting activities. Each year group has three classes of about 35 students.
In 2023, VGGS received registration to admit students to grades 7 and 8 (aged 12 and 13 years), which enables the School to deliver academic and leadership programs over six years rather than just four. The Junior School was opened by Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, former First Lady of Kenya. Enrolment uptake for the new Junior School has been very positive, further expanding the student body.
The VGT provides as many assisted places as possible each year for bright students from challenged backgrounds through bursaries and scholarships funded by local and overseas donors. By sponsoring a young Kenyan girl through secondary school, she, her family and ultimately her community, have the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. Almost 40% of students currently receive fee support.
Through ongoing international support, some students have undertaken exchange programs with schools abroad, especially in Germany and summer programs in the USA. Each year volunteers supported by donors in Australia, USA, Scotland and England as well as through organised programs, visit VGGS, engage with students and share skills.
Listen to one of our Tertiary graduates, Esther Wagaki, talking about her VGGS experience here.
Other Area Schools
As part of a new initiative in 2023 and generously supported by UK donors, VGT has been able to extend support to other secondary schools in the wider Rongai area. Initial projects have focused primarily on the refurbishment and development of critical infrastructure, with several pilot projects underway to augment teaching facilities and establish computer learning resources.
Pamela Scott Secondary School
The Pamela Scott Secondary School is a relatively new school named after Pamela Scott, a former owner of Deloraine Farm, and is situated just outside Rongai. After an initial trial with donated computers, VGT has supported the refurbishment and conversion of an old staff room to a computer room, with additional computers and software being installed and training initiated.
Kimangu Secondary School
Kimangu Secondary School is a well-established and fast-growing government day secondary school about 6 kms from Rongai. It has more than 650 students, many of whom will walk more than an hour to and from their homes each day as it is regarded as the top performing public school in the area.
The VGT has supported the refurbishment of classrooms and donation of 40 computers by Fluid Branding UK, to enable the school to add Computer Studies to the curriculum.
Springs High School
Springs High School was built by the Kenyan government in 2010 on land about 5 kms from Rongai, to cater for a new community of resettled Internally Displaced People (IDP). It has about 400 students.
As for other area public secondary schools, the VGT has extended its IT support project to help with the repurposing and fit-out of classrooms and provision of computers to initiate computer training and studies programs.
