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Garissa High School is a pioneer school in Garissa County in north eastern Kenya where it began as a harambee outfit, admitting its first students in 1969.
The school started as a boys only secondary school.
It was the only institution in the region that offered art subjects for ‘A’ level students. The school had its first senior students admitted in 1978, that was before the old system of education was scrapped and replaced with 8-4-4 later in 1985.
GSS, as the school is nicknamed, saw students struggle to get water, which they fetched four kilometres away.
A majority of the students were Muslims, which meant they preferred using their hands to spoons and forks. And it was at the Ibnul Qayim Mosque where the students found water.
Today, water is no longer a worry to students and teachers after the US Embassy in Kenya intervened in 2009 to provide water. That was before GSS was elevated to a national school in 2012.
Notable alumni who wore light-blue trousers and white shirts include embattled IEBC chair Issack Hassan and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.
Others who were guided by the school motto; ‘Ernest Endevour’ are Tana River Deputy Governor Jire Siyat and footballer Saddam Abdullahi — the best player during the Copa Coca Cola tournament held in Pretoria, South Africa in 2012 and now plies his trade with Somali premier league club Gaadiidka. Journalist Yunis Dekow of Star FM, a Somali language a radio station, also schooled here.
