Starehe Boys just turned 60. Looking back, its achievements have been stellar, no doubt.
During this year’s 60th Founders Day on July 25, Acting director Josphat Mwaura outlined the rise of the school from two tiny huts to a centre of academic excellence.
However, the death of founder Geoffrey William Griffin in 2005 left a huge gap that 14 years later is yet to be filled, what with the succession wrangles that dealt a blow to its past position as an academic giant.
Mistakes happen and it is encouraging to note that Starehe is back on the drawing board, retracing its steps, perhaps to make a giant leap in the race to reclaim its past glory as a model centre of excellence; the Starehe Way, Mr Mwaura said during the fete.
During the celebrations, he said the school ”will not accept anything that is inconsistent with our values, and that we must restore Starehe to its former glory.” Banking on the support of 14,000 alumni, Mr Mwaura, a Strarehian himself, said he was ”prepared to pay any price” to secure the Starehe legacy for generations to come.
Regaining this status, however, is no mean feat given the attrition the school has suffered over the years both in terms of financial and human resource. But it can be done.
Here are some proposals that the school could consider implementing if the management is serious about turning around the institution.
Embrace diversity and meritocracy: This is not to say the school lacks the two values but there is an urgent need to adopt them, especially at the top management level – the board. The current status is biased towards the alumni. Well, the former students have a bigger stake in the running of the institution but it is about time the school injected fresh ideas into taking Starehe to the next level beyond where the late Griffin left it.
Jealously guard its traditions: In the past, schools from different parts of the country could visit Starehe to learn from its successful model. Griffin would gladly say it was the only school in Kenya that had got the ideals of 8-4-4 system of education right.
However, in recent times the institution appears to have adopted management models from other schools, which is not a bad thing but some of them do not seem to add value to academic glory. Minimum disruption of learning activities is the way to go – not only for Starehe but for every school.
Restore bond among teachers, non-teaching staff and administration: Employees in any organisation are a vital cog in the wheel that runs it. An efficient system requires that staff are motivated to contribute individually and collectively to success.
Last year, non-teaching staff raised grievances that touched on their terms of service as well as deteriorating welfare. The dispute culminated in the changes of leadership at the institution with a promise that the staff – whether employed by Starehe or the Teachers Service Commission – would be treated right and pertinent issues affecting productivity are addressed.
This is work in progress but the management needs to bring them on board in turnaround efforts. Some have been patient and served Starehe for decades while many others left in a huff. Consulting such stakeholders would give the centre the benefit of institutional memory as well as knowing exactly where the rain started beating the behemoth that Griffin built.
End Old Starehian Society divisions: Starehe Old Boys have a vibrant association but looking at their engagements on the social media brings forth deep-seated divisions that are to blame for the current state of the school.
The poor handling of the Griffin succession, especially by the Old Boys, resulted in negative ripples in the performance of the school that persists to date.
Mr Mwaura has made commendable efforts to bring back Old Boys on board and forge a common front necessary to return stability but murmurs among some of the alumni are evident. Old Boys should put aside their differences and support Starehe to grow.
Starehe remains a success story despite the turbulence it has experienced since the demise of the founders but it would be sad for stakeholders to erode the gains earlier made in pursuit of other interests that are not in the welfare of the needy but bright boys whose only hope of quality education is Starehe.
All the best in efforts to offer the poor boy wholesome education and a “home away from home”.
