Kenya – Riara Group of Schools opens international school wing for British curriculum

The Riara Group of Schools will from September start offering British education curriculum to attract students who are focused on attending overseas universities.

Chairman and chief executive Daniel Gachukia cited demand from parents and competition from peer elite schools as the key reasons for the shift.

There are more than 16 schools that offer international curricula in Kenya.

“Demand by Kenyan parents for schools offering the international curriculum of education has been increasing in recent years. Every year, some students from Riara Kindergartens have been enrolling in international schools in Nairobi,” said Mr Gachukia in the letter to parents.

Riara’s international school will be hosted at Annexe III on Riara Road, off Ngong Road, Nairobi.

The school will offer British curriculum to students in kindergarten up to Year 13 but in stages. Stage one transition will involve Year 1 and 2 students who will act as the foundation of the anticipated growth.

Mr Gachukia says the international wing was started “following a survey by Kenya schools offering the international curricula and considering the difference between those and the 8-4-4 schools.”

The Riara International School will charge a fee of Sh110,000 and Sh130,000 per term – including tuition – for Years 1 and 2 respectively, a relatively lower rate compared to other British curriculum schools in Kenya.

Hillcrest charges a fee of Sh181,425 for Year 1 and Sh300,825 per term for Year 2 while Braeburn costs Sh322,800 per term for each of the two classes.

Braeside’s fees for Years 1 and 2 is Sh149,410 each. Parents with children at Rusinga School part with Sh113,850 per term for Years 1 and 2.

Mr Gachukia said parents with children at Riara favour the international curriculum because it has easy and direct entry to universities abroad; its examination is based on continuous assessment tests and has a relaxed teaching approach.

“These approaches train the learner not just to rely on memory in answering questions but more on their ability to ask the right questions when faced by a new challenge.”

The school, however, declined to reveal the cost of rolling out the new programme, which includes staff recruitment.

The school has picked Helen Matu, who has experience in international education, to co-ordinate the programme.

Source: Business Daily Africa