Alliance at 100: What it can do to become an academic behemoth

My last sequel on Alliance High School (AHS) is “live” with a quick visit to school last Thursday. The road from Kikuyu town to the school has not changed much over the last 40 years.

Some part of the “Bush” has been cleared and replaced with fruit trees. But generally, the school is still “bushy” despite newer buildings close to the road. 

The signboards for Alliance High School and Girls still stand adjacent to each other as one takes the magical and nostalgic walk to the school gate, more so as a new student.

New buildings now dot “the school we love the most,” as the school’s anthem says. There are new classrooms, dorms and a chapel under construction. Names like Wangai and Sanders (former head teachers) have joined the list of dorms. 

But the school feels the same - welcoming and homely. Some iconic buildings, such as the Carey Francis Memorial Hall and the assembly hall, still stand. Seeing young boys wearing the uniform I wore decades ago was very nostalgic.   

What of the next 100 years? The visit made me feel AHS will still be there. What is likely to change? 

One is the physical structures. I hope the old heritage buildings will be preserved. They become more precious with age. The first chapel, the first classrooms, anything first. Maybe an Alliance Museum is long overdue. 

The buildings are becoming bigger and bolder. Luckily, the playgrounds and open spaces have been spared. Games seem to have kept their special place in AHS, from rugby to basketball.

What makes a great institution is not the buildings, it’s the spirit, the soul best espoused by traditions.

The traditions are often captured by the school’s jargon and rituals. For Bush, think of “decking, dissolving, nyang, lifting, rocketing” among other terms.

It was music to the ears to hear that the tie test still exists; students learn the history of the school before getting a school tie. Such history creates pride, patriotism and fire dreams.

Knowing who passed through a school and their achievements can be a great motivator. That is why old schools and universities easily built a culture and legacy of success. I asked old boys in two WhatsApp groups to share their vision of AHS or Bush by 2126.

They were too busy!  It’s the tragedy of being a researcher in Kenya. Yet Nobel Prizes have been won based on research done in Kenya. 

Without the old boys’ input, let me share what my crystal ball says. 

One, the cordial relationships with the sister school, Alliance Girls, should remain. In our glorious days, Loreto Limuru (Kotet) was our favourite.

Artificial intelligence

We defied Mr Wagitu (Wags) and refused to invite Alliance girls to our farewell party.

Over a cup of tea or your favourite drink (at your cost), I will explain why.

Such social interactions are part of 360-degree growth, beyond good grades. 

Two, is the greater use of technology in learning and teaching, without losing the nurturing spirit.

Two old telephone booths near the administration block should be well kept, a reminder of our journey from wired phones to artificial intelligence (AI). Competence-Based Education (CBE) demands greater use of technology, which has become part of our lives. 

Three is an enriched curriculum; Grade 10 has all pathways. Foreign languages like French, German and Mandarin are taught at Bush. They should be complemented by local languages, which is now allowed in CBE.

I suggest we add El Molo and Gíkúyú, the most widely spoken and least spoken languages in Kenya. 

Four is more interaction with the industry through guest speakers. They enriched my experience at Bush.

Guests should cut across professions, races, genders, and ages. Such guests help students face reality much earlier, giving them a head start in life. 

Think of Nobel Prize winners visiting the school. Five, more links with the community. Can AHS inspire neighbouring primary schools? 

Just an afternoon of a guided visit for primary school kids would make a big difference to their aspirations.

How much interaction does AHS have with the University of Nairobi Kikuyu campus? Ivy League? 

Six, is it time to internationalise AHS? Why not ride on globalisation and admit students from Africa and beyond, even a modest 10 per cent of the students’ population will create a new culture, more open-minded and globally oriented. Think of Chinese, Nigerians, Quechua, Roma, Samoans or Khoisan in our classrooms?  That is how AHS will take the wind out of the sails of international schools. 

Without such a bold step, it’s likely that by the year 2126, the most prestigious schools and universities will be private. Without greater autonomy, public schools will be left behind by private schools. A curious question: who has had more autonomy, Carey Francis or the current principal?  

Seven, Alliance can become a group of schools with an Alliance in every county. That might be better than building a mega school. Something like the Kenya Medical Training Centres (KMTCs)?

The Alliances would be bound by traditions, a code of ethics and be self-governing. 

Exotic courses

We often forgot that an Alliance was cloned through Kabarak High School.

A very rare but successful experiment. Some of the teachers who started Kabarak in 1979 came from Bush and other top schools. 

Eight, by 2126, students will be studying new and exotic courses like intergalactic logistics. It will be common to visit other galaxies in the next 100 years.

Terraformation, making barren moons and other planets habitable, will be one of the most prestigious courses in the university. AI will have declined as humans reclaim their humanity! 

Nine, it’s likely we shall encounter aliens and make peace with them.

Some of the trees at Bush will be from exoplanets. A botanical garden is long overdue. 

Ten, by 2116, Bush will have given us some presidents as more citizens appreciate traditions and return to the basics.

You are free to contest my valid dreams. My only fear is that institutional capture could turn my dreams into nightmares.

Many famous schools in Kenya have gone off the merit radar. The best way to check the validity of my dreams is to keep this article as a time capsule. 

We compare notes on October 1, 2126, wherever we shall be!