For many Kenyans, going abroad is a dream that they hope will transform their lives for the better. However, one man, George Mathenge, has a different perspective.
After living in the UK for five years, he decided to return home to Kenya because he believes that home is where his heart is. Now, George is the principal of Brookhurst International School in Kajiado County.
George’s passion for teaching began when he was a young child attending a primary school in Nyeri. He had excellent teachers who inspired him to aspire to become a teacher and excel academically.
“The primary school I had attended had very good teachers, and one day I aspired that I would become a teacher because so much of what had helped me in my upbringing was instilled by my teacher, and I wanted to excel academically,” Mathenge said.
His hard work paid off when he emerged as the best student in his school in the 1997 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations. He went on to attend Chinga Boys in Othaya for his secondary school education level.
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After passing his KCSE exams in 2001, George Mathenge was admitted to Kenyatta University. However, he had to relocate to the city to seek funds for his university education. His first job was at a construction site in Juja, where he was tasked with ferrying stones.
‘My work was to ferry stones but after consuming 20 liters of water in 6 hours, i realized that the job was not meant for me,” he said.
He then organized tuition to seek funds and, with the support of his siblings, was able to pursue a Bachelor of Education science at Kenyatta University. It was during his studies there that he made the decision to move abroad.
In 2009, George decided to move abroad to pursue his Master of Science in Biomedical Science at the University of Leicester in the UK. He had high hopes for a better life and job prospects, but the reality was a shock to him. He discovered that even university graduates could end up working as cleaners in developed countries.
Despite this setback, George persevered and worked tirelessly in various menial jobs until he was finally able to pay for his master’s degree.
Although his experience in the UK was life-changing and helped him gain vast teaching experience, George felt like he didn’t belong there.
He struggled with the culture and didn’t feel like he could raise a family in that environment. African culture, on the other hand, felt more open and social to him, and he longed to return to Kenya.
George’s experience taught him the importance of embracing one’s culture and identity, no matter where they are. He advises people who have the opportunity to move abroad to take it, but also warns that it’s not an easy journey.
Upon returning to Kenya, George was determined to provide an international curriculum with Kenyan discipline at Brookhurst International School.
“I would like to provide an international curriculum with Kenyan discipline. I don’t want to teach the culture, ” Mathenge claimed.
He believed that students in Kenya deserved access to quality education that would prepare them for the global world. His vision has been a success, and he has implemented it successfully as the school’s principal.
