It's
not just another secondary school
Most schools in
rural areas are not able to offer a high level of education. In some schools the ratio of textbooks is one book for every ten pupils.
Sometimes the teacher has the only textbook and the required syllabus
is not always completed in the year. In all government schools, textbooks must remain on school premises and are not allowed to be taken home for studying.
A fees subsidy was introduced in 2008 in Kenya for secondary schools with classes between 40 and 45
students. However, fees still remain beyond the means of many rural Kenyans.
Secondary school fees in Western Kenya plus the cost of books,
meals, uniforms and other school charges still regularly exceed
$400 a year and sometimes more than $700. When 80% of families in some villages are trying to
survive on less than a dollar a day, it is impossible for them to
educate their children beyond primary school without assistance. High
academic results
ConnectSwiss and Community Outreach Centres opened their own mixed secondary day school in 2008 for
high-performing but needy students. The school follows the Kenyan curriculum but has international standards.
In 2010, it has 70 pupils. The academic results at the end of 2009
were class averages of 69% for Form 1 and 67% for Form 2. International Village School is not just another High School – it is a unique school which targets very poor but high performing students who would otherwise be unable to attend secondary school.
More than 50% of our students attend completely free; the rest pay reduced fees.
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