Mangu High School Location Thika, Kiambu County, Kenya Information Type Catholic National High School Motto Jishide Ushinde Conquer yourself to conquer Established 1925 Founder Michael Joseph Witte Principal Henry Raichena Grades 9-12 Newspaper Savannah Magazine Phone +254-2-0231-9804 Website manguhigh Mangu High School is a Kenyan Roman Catholic National High School established in 1925, located in Kiambu County along the Nairobi-Thika Highway six kilometres from Thika, Kenya. Mangu High School is ranked among the top schools nationwide in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education[1] and has many eminent alumni including one Kenyan president and several vice presidents . History Campus The school admits bright students from financially challenged backgrounds which led to a shortfall of available funds for development. However, the school has obtained additional funding from the government. In June 2011, the school was hit by a storm that damaged the kitchen and dining hall, knocking out the power supply for some time. [2] Kenya Airways offered to pay the full amount for 40 computers to set up two computer labs: one for all students and one specifically for the Aviation Technology program. On 16 May 2011, The French ambassador to Kenya, Etienne de Poncins and the Ministry of Education, launched a French Language Resource Centre at Mang’u High School .[3] The School is also leading in the effort to go green by using Biogas energy . Effluent from the institutions are collected in three different digester tanks and then piped over 3 km to the gas chamber where the gas is collected. It is then used to power a generator that is used in the school. Facilities include: two rugby pitches two basketball courts one football pitch one hockey pitch one athletics track one swimming pool one table tennis one handball field 12 dormitories (Ronald Ngala, Schneider, Kimathi, Kenyatta, Tom Mboya, Edwards, Old Boys, Cardinal Otunga, Ndingi Mwana Nzeki, Raymond, Michuki) three science laboratories one cafeteria one chapel (installed in 2002) two computer labs one multi-purpose hall 2nd biggest amphitheatre in kenya farming areas and dairy facilities Power Mechanics and Electricity workshops Academics In 1951, Mangu High School became the first African school in East Africa to have a full science course in physics, chemistry and biology.[4] Mangu High School is ranked among the top schools nationwide in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education .[5] In 1989 and 2007, Mangu High School ranked first nationwide in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education[6] and led the country in the national exam. The school also hosts the Moi National Mathematics Contest, an exam prepared by Mangu High School teachers that brings together students from every high school in Kenya. The contest started in 1996 with 19 schools and increased to 74 schools in 1999. The number of participating students also increased from 278 to 1,200 in the same period. The National Maths Contest has gained fame as a competitive and challenging mathematics exam that prepares students for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. [7] The school also hosts a Science Congress and Aviation Symposium annually. Admission The school is highly selective, with only the top performing students in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education offered admission. Once offered admission, students must submit a letter of introduction from either the chief of their area, the pastor or father in charge of their parish/mission and a letter from their primary school headmaster. This is to ensure only disciplined students are admitted to maintain the standards of the school. There has been controversy in the past where powerful politicians secure a place for their children though they did not perform well. In 2001, the students went on strike to protest the forced transfer of Principal Paul Agali Otula after he refused to admit the son of a government official. [citation needed] The school admits students from both public and private schools in a quota system to ensure that top students from every county are admitted. The school applies an affirmative action policy to ensure marginalized students from hardship semi-arid areas are given a chance. Departments The Heads of Departments (H.O.D) are appointed by the Teachers Service Commission. The ten departments are as follows: Science Department Humanities Department Geography Department Department of Technical Subjects Mathematics Department Business Education Department Languages Department Clubs Department Boarding Guidance and Counselling Department Aviation Mangu High School is the first school in Kenya to introduce Aviation Technology as an examination subject. In 1961, Michael Stimac started the Amateur Radio Club, Electronics Club and Air Program. The Aviation Technology program is focused on technical skills such as propulsion, thermodynamics, meteorology. The Aviation students undertake most of their studies at Wilson Airport and Moi Air Force Base in Embakasi. The original Schweizer Aircraft glider N3909A used by the Marianist Brothers for Aviation training crashed. It is moved to the workshop as a memorial and is used for educational purposes only. The school acquired a Beechcraft Queen Air 5Y- MHS twin engined light aircraft. The Kenya Air Force assists with repairs of the aircraft and training. The school received a lot of materials, tools and teaching aids from various airlines such as Kenya Airways, Airkenya Express, CMC Aviation, Aviation Luxeken and British Airways. Kenya School of Flying used to give scholarships during the last two years of High School to the students. Some students have proceeded to join the Kenya Air Force while others have studied aeronautical engineering at American, British and Russian universities. Athletics Possessing an athletic program over 50 years old, Mangu offers its students the opportunity to play in several sports and possesses teams that compete in tournaments of the following sports: Basketball (Panthers) Soccer (Pirates) Rugby (Wazimba) Tennis Decathlon Volleyball Hockey Clubs and Societies Mangu high provides a wide array of clubs to develop individual student interest and abilities. The clubs invite and visit other schools for various functions pertaining to their societies. The school administration has given the clubs full support in their endeavors. For every club, there is a patron who acts as a consultant. The school has many clubs including Debate, Law, Drama, Music, History, Charity, Scouts, Red Cross, Chess, Young Farmers, Football, Rugby, Christian Union, Seventh Day Adventist, muslim Engineering, Gym, Wildlife, Science, Aviation, Journalism, French, German and Computer clubs. Students appoint their own officials and raise their own funds which are held in the Bursar office. The Journalism Club produces the Savannah Magazine. The Aviation Club hosts the annual Aviation Symposium. Kenya Airways invited the Aviation Club members for a demo flight during the delivery of its first Boeing 767. The Biotechnology Clubs aims to assist students to explore their knowledge on matters of concern in the field of Biotechnology and to engage students in the learning of new ways of using scientific tools modify organisms to achieve traits useful to humankind. The school also has a German exchange program. Notable alumni; Maurice Michael Otunga (1923-2003), Cardinal and Archbishop emeritus of Nairobi and Military Ordinary emeritus for Kenya Moody Awori (born 1927), 9th vice president of Kenya John Njenga (born 1928), Roman Catholic archbishop of Mombasa Diocese Tom Mboya (1930-1969), founder of the Nairobi Peoples Congress Party and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development Mwai Kibaki (born 1931), 3rd President of Kenya John Michuki (1932-2012), permanent Secretary in the Finance Ministry, Chairman of the Kenya Commercial Bank, Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister Khadambi Asalache (1935-2006), Kenyan poet and author who settled in London in 1960, later a civil servant at HM Treasury , taught Swahili at the Berlitz School , and worked for the BBC African Service. Wilfred Kiboro (born 1944), CEO Nation Media Group George Saitoti (1945-2012), 6th Vice President of Kenya Binyavanga Wainaina (born 1971), author, journalist and winner of the Caine Prize , nominated by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader but declined the award. Cyrus Jirongo, politician and a former Member of Parliament in Kenya Joe kevin the great..
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:06:48 +0000
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