Strathmore School
| Strathmore School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
Lavington | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, all-male, day school |
| Motto | UT OMNES UNUM SINT (That All May Be One) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Patron saint(s) | Saint Josemaría Escrivá |
| Established | 1961 |
| Founder | David Sperling |
| Principal | John Muthiora |
| Classes | Std 1-8; Form 1–4 |
| Education system | 8-4-4 / Kenyan system |
| Rival | St. Mary's School |
| Affiliation | Opus Dei |
| Website | http://www.strathmore.ac.ke/ |
Strathmore School is Kenya's first multi-racial school established in 1961 in the Lavington area of Nairobi. It began as a residential Sixth Form College offering British-styled A-level courses and in 1963 switched from the Cambridge School Certificate Examination to the London GCE. In 1977 it became a full-fledged Secondary school. In 1988, the school began offering education under the KCSE - Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - curricula which it follows to date. The first batch of Primary school students (6-7 year olds) entered in 1987. It no longer has any boarders.
School uniform
The school uniform consists of a cream shirt, mid-grey trousers, grey socks and black shoes. The tie has black, white and blue stripes. The blazer is navy blue, normally won by students on Mondays. The sweater is sky blue and does not have the school badge on it.
School magazine
'The Scroll' was first published in 1963. The last edition was published in 2006 in order to make way for an interactive DVD called The Scroll Digital (nicknamed 'digital'). A return to the past is happening this year with a school magazine being published for the first time in 10 years.
In 1986 a book titled 'Strathmore Remembered', with the 25-year history of the school was published.
School Anthem
All hail the power of Strathmore School,
Let all teams fall before it,
Let all teams fear Strathmore!
And Strathmore School the best of all,
And Strathmore! Strathmore! Strathmore!
Strathmore the school! The best of All.
School honours
Every year the school honours two outstanding students graduating. One being the Sportsman of the Year, and the other the Scholar of the Year. Those who are honoured have their names engraved on an 'Honours Board' at the school. There is also an Honours Board for the Primary School Scholar of the Year.
Since 1961, only two people have been awarded both Honours, James McFie in 1963 and Andrew Lumumba in 2012.
Every year the top three [in primary] and top five [in secondary] all-rounded students in each class are awarded the school pennant. The school does not award any colours to students.
Difference with other Kenyan schools
Strathmore School prides itself as one of the few schools, if not the only school, in Kenya, that does not have prefects.
The school does not have houses. Students elect class leaders (captains and vice captains) who chose their classmates into their teams (Ndovu, Nyati, Chui and Simba). This is done in each class and there is no relation with teams in other classes (thus there is no house system) as every team works for itself.
There are two streams in the secondary, A and ALPHA. Both streams are rivals with members of each stream remembering their attachment even several years after finishing school. Many of the alumni remain attached to their stream, calling each other 'A' or 'Alpha' guys.
Their biggest sporting rivals are St. Mary’s School, next door neighbors in Nairobi.
Sports teams
The rugby team is known as The Bandits. In 2008 they were the winners of the St. Mary's Blackrock Festival, the biggest schools rugby festival in Kenya. However, they were beaten by their rivals Saints, the eventual winners in the semi-finals of the 2010 edition of the festival. They wear striped shirts of black, blue and white.
Other teams include the Pirates (basketball) the Stallions, who recently renamed themselves the Falcons(volleyball), who won the Nairobi provincial league several times in the 1970s, the Stalwarts (cricket) and the Sharks (swimming).
The doctrinal and religious formation in Strathmore is entrusted to Opus Dei, a prelature of the Catholic Church.
Strathmore School consistently ranks as one of the top private schools in the KCSE and was ranked the second best high school (nationwide) based on 2006 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and the second best private high school in 2013 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. .[1]
Notable alumni
- Daniel Adongo, American football player
- David Mathenge aka Nameless (musician)
- Gideon Moi, politician
- Chris Okemo, 8th Minister for Finance of Kenya
- Polycarp Otieno, musician and member of afro-pop band Sauti Sol
- Michael Kijana Wamalwa, 8th Vice President of Kenya
- Dr Patrick Ngugi Njoroge, Governor of Central Bank, Kenya, 2015 July+; A-level Class of 1977-78
- Prof. Paul Mwangi Maringa, Past Ag., Rector/Vice Rector AA, KIST, Rwanda; A-level Class of 1977-78
- Josphat Konzolo, Past Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Kenya
- Fidel Namisi, South African based Movie Producer
- Wilson Kopondo, Rugby Player, Former Captain of Kenya XV
- Sunny Bindra, Columnist,Author, Managerial Trainer,