Elite city school Sabis opens next month

What you need to know:

The first batch of students is expected to report on September 3 as the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm undertakes the second phase to expand the school’s capacity to 2,000.
Centum partnered with a Dubai-based private equity firm and the international chain of schools to build the institution that will admit pupils from kindergarten to high school.

Centum #ticker:ICDC -owned Sabis International School in Runda will open its doors in September with a capacity of 1,200 in the first phase.

The first batch of students is expected to report on September 3 as the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm undertakes the second phase to expand the school’s capacity to 2,000.

The investment company partnered with a Dubai-based private equity firm and the international chain of schools to build the institution that will admit pupils from kindergarten to high school.

“Africa Crest Education (ACE) Holdings has the vision to open 20 SABIS operated schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. The schools will be anchored on an affordable, world-class and holistic learning model that incorporates cutting-edge technology raising the bar on affordable quality education service provision across the continent,” said Centum in its annual report.

READ: Dubai Investments to sink Sh2bn into Kenya, Africa chain of private schools

Last year, Centum bought 20 acres of land in Kiambu from former Gatundu MP and coffee tycoon Zakaria Kimemia Gakunju. Property developers familiar with land prices in the area indicated that the parcel may have cost about Sh1.2 billion at an estimated rate of about Sh60 million per acre.

Regulatory filings showed that construction of the school will cost Sh535 million.

The project places Centum in direct competition with elite learning institutions such as the German School, International School of Kenya, Potterhouse School, Braeburn, Rosslyn Academy, Kenton and St Andrews Turi.