Friends School Kamusinga

Friends School Kamusinga
Address
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
P.O. Box Private bag- 50204 Kimilili , Bungoma Kenya
Coordinates	0°47′39″N 34°42′24″E / 0.794150°N 34.706620°E / 0.794150; 34.706620Coordinates: 0°47′39″N 34°42′24″E��� / 0.794150°N 34.706620°E / 0.794150; 34.706620
Information
Other names	Kamu/Frishka
School type	National, Public
Motto	Use Common Sense
Established	1956
Founder	Allan Bradley (British Native)
Principal	Alex Maina (since 2018)[1]
Staff	80
Gender	Male
Number of students	1200
Campus type	Suburban, on the slopes of Mt Elgon
Color(s)	Blue, black, grey and white.
Mascot	Cheetah
Website	www.fsk.sc.ke

Friends School Kamusinga or (FSK) popularly known as Kamu/Frischka is a Kenyan Quakers National High School^[2] established in 1956 & located in Kimilili, Bungoma County, Kenya.The school is located 400 kilometres from Kenya's capital city, Nairobi, Kenya.It is ranked among the top schools nationwide in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education^[3] and has many notable alumni across business, creative arts, sports,^[4] engineering and political divides in Kenya.^[5]

Kamusinga is regarded as an academic and extra-curricular giant for its performance in National examinations and Nationwide extra-curricular competitions of field hockey, basketball, Science Congress, drama and music festival competitions over the years.^{[6][7][8][3][4][5]}

History[]

The school was established by Allan Bradley (a British Native who died aged 90 in February 2000) in 1956 as a transfer unit for Friends School Kaimosi from Kaimosi in Vihiga County. He is remembered by the school by holding an annual intra-school sports tournaments dubbed 'Allan Bradley's Day', held on 18 February of every year. The first Allan Bradley's Day Tournament was on 18 February 2006.^[9][10]

The school continues to maintain relations with members of the Allan Bradley family such as Ruth Bradley and Peter Bradley who find possible ways to support the school whenever possible.^[10]

Peter Bradley-Left (Son of School Founder) with Former School Principal Edwin Namachanja-center

The School Administration Block Building

Academics[]

National exam performance[]

The school produced the best 2006 K.C.S.E. (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) national candidate Dickens Omanga.^[11] Due to scrapping of school rankings nationwide by the Ministry of Education, the ranking of the school is not available since 2018. But based on performance comparison the school boasts production of the highest number of A, A- and B+ grades compared to most schools in the country making it still one of the top schools in the country.^[12] In 2011, before ranking was abolished, the school has ranked 12th nationwide.^[13] In 2016 it ranked 4th.^[14] In 2017 it emerged position 15.^[15]

Administration[]

The school is headed by Alex Kariuki Maina, who took over the helm in January 2018, formerly the Principal of Ololaiser High School in Kajiado County.^[16] The school was previously headed by Edwin Namachanja from 2010 to January 2018 who was transferred to Maranda High School in Siaya County.^[1][17]

Notable former staff[]

In the 60's[]

Nicolas Guy Barnett was a British teaching member of staff between 1960 and 1961, and later became member of parliament of South Dorset between 1962 and 1964 and later Greenwich between 1971 and 1986 in 42nd and 45th Parliament of the United Kingdom.^[18]

In the 90's to present[]

The school was previously headed by who headed the school from 1998 to January 2009, when he was appointed as Kenyan ambassador to Canada in a series of diplomatic appointments by Kenya's 3rd president Mwai Kibaki.^[19]

Before Simon Nabukwesi's helm at the school, Christopher Khaemba was the principal from 1995 to 1998^[20] before transferring to Alliance High School as principal, and thereafter to African Leadership Academy as the school's founding dean in Johannesburg, South Africa.^[21] He is currently the Director and Co-founder of The Nova Pioneer Academies, which operates both in Kenya and South Africa.^[21]

Departments[]

The School Comprises 10 departments that oversee the school programs and curricular activities. They include the Examination Department, Technical Department, Sciences Department, Math Department, Swahili & Other Languages Departments, English & Libraries Department, Games Department, Boarding Department, School Worship Program Department, and Guidance & Counselling Department.^[22]

The Heads of Each Department are appointed by the Teachers Service Commission

Board of Governors[]

The school has a board of governors (B.O.G.) and Parents Teachers Association (P.T.A) organs that assist the school administration in leadership and management.^[10]

Student admission[]

Every year, 300 students are selected based on academic merit and quota as per the Kenyan standard education policy. Academic merit is based on performance of the K.C.P.E (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) exams. Its quota system sees to it that the school admits boys from every county in the country though with bias to students from public schools as the current education policy requires.^[13] Students are admitted on a need-blind basis. At any given time, there are needy students whose tuition and boarding fees are paid by parties other than their parents or guardians.^[13]

Matriculation and university enrollment[]

On Average the school's final year candidates get up to 98% admission into top universities in the country by merit through standard Kenyan public university placement procedures for students who have excelled in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. By virtue of the school's ranking over the years with most students scoring A, A- and B+, most of the students get into university through merit.^{[citation needed]}

Emblem[]

Kamusinga School Gate with the school emblem

School seal[]

The emblem is a Cheetah poised on its back limbs and appears to be Clawing the air.

A banner is floated below the emblem thus:

         "Use Common Sense"

Student life[]

Former School Principal Edwin Namachanja in the Principal's Office Showcasing some of the School's Accolades

Culture[]

Upon arrival, every form 1 student is assigned to a ‘guardian’ who is a form 2 student who will help the new student find his way around the school in the first few weeks.^[5]

The school has a compulsory use of full cutlery set – fork, spoon and knife – during meals, which was resisted by shagz-modos, but most students and alumni are now grateful as it accounts for their refined etiquette.^[5]

Various platforms like the drama and music competitions provide students with a chance to showcase their talents. The drama club organizes the biggest comic show of the entire year called "Talent's Night" where students simulate the Monday morning School assembly and try to imitate their teachers.

Houses[]

The school has fifteen houses:

Prefects[]

The prefects are key to the running of the school. It is they who see that the school routine and school rules are adhered to. They have the authority to punish culprits via the prefect's punishment department. Punishments include washing corridors and rooms, slashing fields and in some extreme cases, working in the school farm or uprooting tree stumps. Punishees are announced on parade everyday of the week and assigned for punishment

A total of about 90 prefects are chosen each year and among the 90, 24 of the most outstanding prefects are given top honors in becoming Senior Prefects or Captains. These Captains are allocated various major departments in the school. The school's departments include:

• Dining Hall
• Entertainment
• Games
• Library
• Computer Lab
• Medical
• Academic

Extra-curricular activities[]

Sports[]

Kamusinga offers its students opportunities to play various sports and join teams that participate in various tournaments. The sports include swimming, badminton, table tennis, hockey, basketball, rugby, volleyball, handball and soccer.

The School Swimming Pool

Field hockey[]

The school has won Kenya National secondary schools games in hockey 19 times as well as East Africa regional hockey games 18 times since 1999, except for 2010,2015 and 2017 since the introduction of the game in the school in 1997.^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

Basketball[]

The school has a basketball team referred to as the Tigers.^[28] The school has represented the Western Province at the nationals since 2004. In 2009 it was the first runners-up while in 2011 it was the 2nd runners-up at the K.S.S.S.A. (Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association) national term 1A ball games. Over the years the school has continued to be one of the best basketball teams in the country and east Africa games because of its sterling performance.^[29]

Drama[]

The School's dramatics club has over the years represented Western Province in the National Drama festivals in the Narrative category, winning in the whole country and entertaining the head of state since 1999 until 2006. The drama club at the time was headed by Mark Mutali Chetambe^[30] and Isaac Shitubi. They produced various narrators and actors including Isaac Mwaura, Augustine Oluoch, John Paul Wafula and Jimmy Wanjala.^[31]

Science Congress[]

The school has a Science Congress team and is currently ranked 'The Best Boys School in Kenya', 'Best School in Science' nationally in the field and overall ranked fifth nationally.^{[32][33][34][35][36][37]}

Clubs and societies[]

There are over 20 clubs and societies including the Amateur Radio Club, The Dramatic Society, Law and Debate Club, Scouting, the White Fingers Peace Initiative, the Computer Club, Science Congress, the International Information Exchange Program Club, the School Choir, the Science and Robotics Club, the Integrity Club, the Writers’ Club, the Poetry Society, Kiswahili Club, the Model United Nations, the Christian Union, and Muslim Association, among many others.^{[38][failed verification]}

Notable alumni[]

• Henry Chakava,^[39] Kenyan publisher.
• Benjamin Cheboi,^[5] first governor of Baringo County, currently a politician affiliated to URP party.
• Chris Kirubi,^[5] businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist. Currently serves as a director of Centum Investment Company
• Kakai Kissinger, human rights activist and attorney, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary of Kenya
• Kenneth Lusaka, Speaker of the Senate of Kenya and was the 1st governor of Bungoma County
• Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu, Kenya's ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations World Trade and former Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Health.^[40]
• Cleophas Malala, senator Kakamega County.
• Mubarak Muyika,^[41] Internet entrepreneur and businessman
• Tylor Ongwae Okari,^[42][43] Basketball player of Bakken Bears and Kenya's National Basketball Team.
• Moses Wetangula,^[5] served in the Government of Kenya as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2010 and from 2011 to 2012, and Minister for Trade from 2012 to 2013

References[]

External links[]

• Official website