By FRANCIS NGIGE
During its heyday, Moi Nyeri Complex was out of reach for the ordinary Kenyan.
It was the school of choice for children of the crËme de la crËme of society, and its results in national examinations were unmatched.
From Cabinet ministers to ambassadors, the school was host to children of several dignitaries including the daughter of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
The alumni of the school include former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Chairman Maina Kiai, Presidential Press Services Director Isaiah Kabira and media personality Wachira Waruru.
It was also here that children of former Cabinet ministers Simeon Nyachae, David Mwiraria and the late Jackson Angaine attended school.
The children of Defence Assistant Minister and Mwingi South MP David Musila are also listed as among former pupils of the institution.
During the glory days, faces of the best candidates nationally lit up the front pages of all dailies, but that is no longer the case.
Top 100 list
In the just released Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results, the school managed just two candidates in the top 100 list.
Out of the 215 candidates who sat KCPE, only 12 scored more than 400 marks.
The top candidate, Gitahi Judy Wanjiku, scored an impressive 425 marks.
Although the school overall mean grade has drastically improved from previous years, it is yet to match results it posted before the proliferation of private institutions.
But what went wrong for the former academic giant?
According to the head teacher, Kanyingi Machira, things came to a head with the evolution of academies and the introduction of Free Primary Education (FPE).
Just before the introduction of FPE, each class of the four-streamed school had an average of 35 pupils, but now it is in the excess of 50.
"We are trying our best as teachers and that is why the board has decided that from next year we will have an extra stream to ensure that a class has an average of 40 pupils," said the head teacher.
