Starehe Boys Centre ranks among Kenya’s top national public boys’ secondary schools. The journey to founding the school began in the 1950s, driven by the vision and efforts of the late Dr Geoffrey William Griffin.
Founded in 1959, Starehe Boys Centre was born out of a response to a national crisis. In the wake of the Mau Mau uprising and the 1952 State of Emergency declared by colonial authorities, many children were orphaned or displaced.
Recognising this urgent need, Geoffrey Griffin, together with Geoffrey Gatama Geturo and Joseph Kamiru Gikubu, established the institution to provide shelter, education, and a future for these vulnerable boys.
Starehe Boys Centre history
The school’s humble beginnings trace back to two tin huts donated by Kenya Shell and BP. The first 17 students came from the Kariokor Rescue Centre in Nairobi.
Shortly after, the Centre moved to its current location in Starehe, Nairobi, where it grew from a makeshift rescue home into a full-fledged educational institution.
Starehe Girls Centre was established to complement the work of Starehe Boys driven by the vision and efforts of the late Dr. Geoffrey William Griffin.
At its core, the institution remains grounded in its founding philosophy—providing quality education to boys from disadvantaged backgrounds.
About 70% of the students are educated at no cost, while the rest pay subsidized fees based on their family’s income.
Admission to Starehe Boys is highly competitive. Each year, approximately 20,000 applicants vie for less than 300 spots, with a few additional places reserved for exceptionally needy cases who might not have applied through the usual channels.
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Selection is based on a rigorous review of financial need, making it both a merit-based and humanitarian process.
It was also based on performance in the national Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams until 2023, when it was replaced by the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The school is a member of the global Round Square network which emphasizes character development, leadership, service, and internationalism alongside academic excellence.
More than 98% of the school’s graduates proceed to top Kenyan universities, while others earn placements in top institutions abroad, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa, among other counties.
Notable alumni include former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju, former Education Secretary the late Prof. George Magoha, former Gatanga Member of Parliament Peter Kenneth and Safaricom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Ndegwa among others.
Performance
Since its inception, the school has maintained a stellar academic record, consistently ranking among Kenya’s top 10 secondary schools in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
In the 2024 KCSE, the school had 275 candidates, with 99% achieving the minimum university entry grade under full government sponsorship.
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Notably, 47 students scored a straight A, while 72 scored an A-. Additionally, 77 students attained a B+, 43 scored a B, while 20 managed a B-.
15 students scored a C+, and the lowest grade recorded was a C-, obtained by just one student.
The school’s impressive performance saw the 2024 candidates achieve a mean score of 10.11—an improvement from the 9.5 mean score recorded in the 2023 KCSE.
School Fees
The government previously issued a directive outlining the maximum annual school fees that parents should pay.
Under new guidelines introduced in 2020 by the Ministry of Education, Kenya’s 103 national schools were grouped into four clusters.
Starehe Boys was placed in Cluster Three (III), meaning the official annual fee cap for students is approximately Ksh75,798.
However, about 70% of the students at the school are educated at no cost, while the rest pay subsidised fees based on their family’s income.
This model, guided by a means-tested policy, ensures that access to education at Starehe is determined not by wealth, but by need and merit.
Location and contacts
The institution is located in Starehe constituency of Nairobi County along General Waruinge Street about 4 kilometres from the City Centre.
In case you have any complaints, queries, or comments, you can reach the institution’s administration through the contacts below.
Mobile phone number: +254 012 345 678
Email address: [email protected]
Postal address: General Waruinge Street Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi 00100
Official website: stareheboyscentre.org
Starehe Boys Centre KNEC code: 20400004
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