How has Mavoko Secondary School managed to grow so much?

I remember when Mavoko Secondary School was starting out in the early 90s, and it was viewed as just another local school (or an Harambee school as they were known those days). Fast forward to 2020 and the last time I was in Athiriver, I couldn’t help getting impressed with the way Mavoko Secondary School has grown over the years. From just a few classrooms and a staffroom that they started out with, today Mavoko has all the facilities and amenities you would expect in any serious school. Frankly, I never imagined that a day would come when there would be several blocks of buildings at Mavoko Secondary School, but that day has already come and passed.

I think several factors have helped Mavoko secondary school to grow so fast.

One is visionary leadership from the people who have had the chance to head the school over the years. They have, for instance, managed to see to it that the school’s land is well protected in an area that is notorious for land grabbing, while also ensuring that the school’s financial resources were properly utilized for its development.

Another factor is fast population growth in Athiriver, which has served to ensure that there is a steady stream of students joining Mavoko secondary, which has in turn translated into bigger capitations.

Yet another factor is the input from various Athiriver-based companies that, at least in the earlier days, would make contributions to Mavoko secondary as part of their CSR programs.

Yet another factor is input from the local political leadership, including the Harambees that helped to set it up and regular allocations from the Mavoko CDF. It helps that for quite a number of years, Mavoko secondary school seemed to be the only promising public secondary school within Athiriver town. The others like Star Sheikh, Athiriver AIC High School and Athiriver Academy High School were private entities.

It helps too that Mavoko secondary has managed to keep on posting relatively decent results, with strong showings in extra-curricular activities such as drama as well. That has earned it goodwill, with people seeing it as a venture worth supporting.