The best education money can buy

Heated swimming pools, manicured lawns that make you think you are walking on a golf course, gyms, Olympic size tracks, student parking lots, meals that could pass for a hotel menu at the school canteen, expansive fields, not forgetting the picturesque views as you glance out of the window.

These are some of the images at the top 10 most expensive schools in Kenya. They have a lot in common, but they also have their own distinguishing factors. They all offer internationally accredited systems of education. Yes, that means the 8-4-4 system is not in the mix.

It is in these schools that you will find the children of the who’s who in Kenya’s political, diplomatic, business and corporate landscape. Education might be free for all at public primary and high schools in the country, but if you want quality, you must be ready to pay for it. And pay big you will at these international schools.

This week, we look at schools in Kenya that are attracting students from around the region and even abroad and what sets them apart from the rest.

International school of Kenya (ISK)

Lush, trimmed lawns greet us as we enter the gates of the school that sits on a 50-acre piece of land in Kitisuru, on the outskirts of Nairobi. This is the one of the most expensive schools in Kenya. Our presence here marks the beginning of our journey to several high cost schools in the country.

The fees charged are an average US$15000 per year. The lowest at pre-school level totals to $9,500 and at high school its about $20,000, which translates roughly to between Sh788,500 and Sh1,660,000 per year.

Barbara Petty, director of development at the International School of Kenya (ISK), or Barb, as she is known bears the face of ISK. She is a strong-willed lady currently spearheading the a $30 million expansion project.

“We are expanding the middle-level school, elementary, arts centre and adding a new building - the commons”, she said. The project will run concurrently with the establishment of an Olympic running track to be named after a Kenyan athlete that they are yet to identify.

ISK was established in 1976 on an old coffee farm, which was formerly owned by the United States International University , to provide education to expatriate families in Kenya, especially those who wanted the American system of education.

The school is owned jointly by the US and Canadian embassies and follows the North American system of education.

It has a population of 851 students from various nationalities.

The school curriculum emphasises holistic child development.

“We assess students on entry to identify their individual needs. We do not look at their educational prowess only, but also psychological and emotional wellbeing. “ she explains.

ISK is among the schools that have raised Kenya’s profile in education, not only regionally, but internationally. Among its well-known alumni is John Wagner, the founder of Java coffee chain.