These two schools have produced the most Kenyan celebs

When you think of schools, you first think of the academics and how well the school students perform in the national exams but what if I told you that some schools offer more than just this?

There are some schools that have a track record of mentoring tomorrow’s stars and teaching them how to better harness their talents and start them off on their craft.

Perhaps what these schools did best was simply to instil confidence in these future stars and showed them that they had what to takes for them to pursue their dreams and actually put them on the track to actualize them.

And in this regard, there are two schools that seem to be head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to putting their students with talents in confident positions to put their mark in Kenya and they are:

Hillcrest

Fena Gitu

The artist was encouraged to pursue her talents by her teachers at the school.

Size 8

Bet you didn’t know this gospel singer and pastor attended this expensive and prestigious school.

Edith Kimani

The media personality too is an alumni of the school.

 

St Marys

Uhuru Kenyatta

Kenya’s 4th president is an alumni of the school.

Adelle Onyango

Former Kiss 100 presenter and female rights activist too is an alumni of the school.

Jeff Koinange

The former CNN anchor and celebrated media personality is known for his baritone is a former school student.

Lupita Nyong’o

That’s right the Hollywood star is an alumni of the school.

 

So if you’re picking a school for your talented children, you know to look for schools that boast a great number of celebrity alumni, schools with a strong extracurricular activities culture and teachers who are great mentors.

But when it comes to school fees, Co-op Bank has a solution for you. That’s right, you can get yourself a partner that can help you pay and that is Co-op Bank. Why? Because school fees are all about planning. You should not wake up to realize that fees is due tomorrow and you had not planned for this eventuality even though you’ve lived large for some long holiday weekend. You need a partner who can help you map out the entire financial plan and ensure you get the best possible option for your child(ren).

With the Co-op Bank innovations and partnerships, you can pay school fees and buy new uniforms without having to bear the risk of carrying huge sums of money around. I mean, it would really be a comedy of tragedies if you misplaced that money or it was liberated from you right?

In addition to this, you can also load up your child’s pocket money to their Co-op Bank Pre-paid.

What are the benefits of a Co-op Bank Prepaid card?

  • No need for your child to carry loads of pocket money as they head to school, you can simply load it in the Co-op Prepaid card which is safer than carrying cash.
  • The student will be able to pay for items at their school canteens at No Extra cost.
  • Parents will be able to track their students sending by getting a Mini statement of the card at a Co-op Kwa Jirani agent or via SMS alerts.
  • You no longer need to travel all the way to the school to hand over money to your child, you can simply load the card at any Co-op Kwa Jirani agent.
  • The students are also able to withdraw money using the card from any Co-op ATMs or Co-op Kwa Jirani agents outside school.
  • You dont need an account with Co-op bank to enjoy the benefits of the card.
  • No extra charges will be incurred in transactions using the card.

Click here to find out more.

Kenyan celebs who attended the most expensive schools in Kenya

Kenya has some very expensive and exclusive schools that have attracted the children of the who-is-who. The type of schools where school fees for one semester is worth more than a lot of Kenyan households earn in a year.

And the crazy thing you wouldn’t believe is that some Kenyan celebs actually studied at such schools. Yup, they attended schools where their parents had to pay north of half a million shillings per semester.

Let’s dive right into Kenyan celebs who attended Kenya’s most expensive schools:

#1. Nick Mutuma

The actor attended Braeside for his high school education. The school is a part of the Braeburn Group of Schools. The school fees per term of Braeburn International school is Ksh. 782,310 per term.

#2. Joey Muthengi

She attended Rift Valley Academy which is one of the most exclusive schools in the entire East African region. Interestingly enough, her brother, Holy Dave attended Machakos Boys… I laughed so hard when a good friend of mine revealed this fact. Talk about disparity.

#3. Anne Kiguta

She attended Rusinga School. Interestingly, she was classmates with yet another well known and celebrated Kenyan who also became a media personality; Waihiga Mwaura.

#4. Size 8

The gospel singer turned evangelist attended State House Girls before transferring to Hillcrest. She attended the school on a scholarship.

#5. Edith Kimani

Like Size 8, Edith Kimani started her high school education at State House Girls before transferring to Hillcrest on a scholarship.

#7. Michelle Morgan

She attended Hillcrest where the lowest amount of school fees a student would pay (or rather, have their parents cough up) is 567,000 per semester.

#8. Fena Gitu

The singing sensation too attended Hillcrest school. It’s almost like they were vying in an unknown contest to create the most Kenyan celebs.

#8. Almasi (Ian Nene)

The Machachari actor attended school at Brookhouse. This school whose main building looks like a castle is one of the most expensive schools in Kenya. Parents of a Grade 5 student have to pay 2.07 million Kshs per annum.

#9. Janet Mbugua

She too attended school at Brookhouse. And just to give you how bonkers the fees can become, Grade 12 parents pay a minimum of 2.37 million shillings a year as fees.

And when it comes to school fees, do you know a partner that can help you pay is Co-op Bank. Why? Because school fees are all about planning. You should not wake up to realize that fees is due tomorrow and you had not planned for this eventuality even though you’ve lived large for some long holiday weekend. You need a partner who can help you map out the entire financial plan and ensure you get the best possible option for your child(ren).

With the Co-op Bank innovations and partnerships, you can pay school fees and buy new uniform without having to bear the risk of carrying huge sums of money around. I mean, it would really be a comedy of tragedies if you misplaced that money or it was liberated from you right?

In addition to this, you can also load up your child’s pocket money to their Co-op Bank Pre-paid.

What are the benefits of a Co-op Bank Prepaid card?

  • No need for your child to carry loads of pocket money as they head to school, you can simply load it in the Co-op Prepaid card which is safer than carrying cash.
  • The student will be able to pay for items at their school canteens at No Extra cost.
  • Parents will be able to track their students sending by getting a Mini statement of the card at a Co-op Kwa Jirani agent or via SMS alerts.
  • You no longer need to travel all the way to the school to hand over money to your child, you can simply load the card at any Co-op Kwa Jirani agent.
  • The students are also able to withdraw money using the card from any Co-op ATMs or Co-op Kwa Jirani agents outside school.
  • You dont need an account with Co-op bank to enjoy the benefits of the card.
  • No extra charges will be incurred in transactions using the card.

Click here to find out more.

Kenyan celebs you didn’t know are geniuses

Let’s face it, when most of us think of Kenyan celebs, if you’ve been through the previous 8-4-4 system or you’re one of the unfortunate “alumni” of the CBC curriculum, then you automatically assume them dense.

The reason for this is the fact that for the most part, our education system puts an emphasis on academic excellence to the absolute dereliction of any other forms of intelligence or even talents. So you’re a footballer? Big whoop. Your teachers will drum it into the rest of the class or worse still, into you’re head that you’re nothing. The same can be said for actors and entertainers. Wait, I think there is a special bottom rung made entirely of comedians.

But what if I told you that while there are different cadres of intelligence, there are some -a precious few- who excelled in both the conventional way as well as at the pursuit of their talent and craft? Some entertainers and celebs who were actually not just talented but also academically intelligent enough to juggle high-level performance in all that was required of them?

And we all know what that means. In both 8-4-4 and CBC, it takes a whole lot of cramming. Beyond simply being familiar with the material, you have to actually cram for the exams and often it involves some outdated and useless procedures (for most career paths) such as the Bosch Process (Chemistry anyone?) because let’s face it, I have never used that knowledge anywhere outside of my KCSE exam hall.

Even before we start, I need to actually clarify some metrics for you to fully appreciate the genius of these celebs. KCSE is graded on a scale with a maximum grade of A plain equivalent to an 80% score and above (to 100%) through to the minimum grade of E, equivalent to or lower than a 25% score.

Let’s take a quick look at the celebs who scored highly on their national O-Level exams (what we here in Kenya call KCSE). And I assure you that some of the characters who are certified geniuses will blow your mind.

Fena Gitu

Fena Gitu
Fena Gitu

This would surprise many but the Femcee cum LGBTQ advocate (though she does this on the sly) is a Precious Blood Riruta alumni who managed to score an A- (A minus) in her KCSE exam.

Fancy Fingers

Fancy Fingers
Fancy Fingers

Sauti Sol’s Polycarp who is an alumnus of Strathmore actually managed to score an A before he went on to pursue a degree in actuarial science.

JB Masanduku

Tina Kaggia’s ex-husband and comedian was actually a student at two “Ivy League” Kenyan schools; Starehe Boy’s Centre as well as Alliance High. And as if that isn’t impressive enough, he managed to score an A in the national exams.

Maureen Kunga

Maureen Kunga

One-half of the two ladies that make up the trio that is Elani (do they still make music anymore?) is an alumnus of Kianda School where she managed to score an A in the national exams. And as if that weren’t impressive enough, drum roll, please…

Wambui Ngugi

Elani’s Wambui Ngugi

The second half of the two ladies that make up the trio that is Elani (which at this point I have to state also includes Brian Chweya) also scored an A in KCSE.

King Kaka

Kenyan rapper, King Kaka

The rapper formerly known as Rabbit (isn’t that one of if not the worst name you’ve ever heard a rapper gave himself?!) made it against all odds. He was at Eastleigh High which if you know anything about Nairobi, isn’t exactly a bastion of education. And yet he managed to score an A- (A minus).

DJ Creme

The disc jockey too wasn’t in what we would consider a Kenyan “ivy league school” given he studied in some backwater secondary school before going on to score an A- (A Minus) in his KCSE exam.

Wahu

Come on, you already know this girl is smart. I mean, she went on to study mathematics in university. What more can I say? She too is an alumnus of Precious Blood and got an A.

I’ve purposely left out Babu Owino from the list. Google his grade yourself. But an honourable mention is Abbas Kubaff who is reported to have scored an A back when he sat for his national exams.

Clearly, a lot went into their academic prowess and this definitely includes (on the most part) not having to worry about their allowances. That is where Co-op Bank comes into partner with you to avail to your child every possible advantage that you can afford them. One simple example of this is ensuring they always have their allowance/ pocket money at hand and not have to worry about it being jacked.

Allow your child to focus entirely on their national exams given they are in their third term. Whether they are sitting for KCSE or the primary school national exams, KCPE. How can you do that? I’m glad you asked.

Co-op Bank is here to partner with you to ensure your child focuses on what’s important -their education. You can also load up your child’s pocket money to their Co-op Bank Pre-paid.

What are the benefits of a Co-op Bank Prepaid card?

  • No need for your child to carry loads of pocket money as they head to school, you can simply load it in the Co-op Prepaid card which is safer than carrying cash.
  • The student will be able to pay for items at their school canteens at No Extra cost.
  • Parents will be able to track their students sending by getting a Mini statement of the card at a Co-op Kwa Jirani agent or via SMS alerts.
  • You no longer need to travel all the way to the school to hand over money to your child, you can simply load the card at any Co-op Kwa Jirani agent.
  • The students are also able to withdraw money using the card from any Co-op ATMs or Co-op Kwa Jirani agents outside school.
  • You dont need an account with Co-op bank to enjoy the benefits of the card.
  • No extra charges will be incurred in transactions using the card.

Click here to find out more.