While many schools settle to organize trips to the capital, Nairobi, Makini Schools kick it up a notch to ensure that their students create unforgettable memories to last them a lifetime.
Considered one of the best learning institutions for early education in the country, the school is renowned for attracting parents with substantial financial means.
In a viral circular shared by parents, students are eagerly anticipating their sightseeing trip in Europe in November this year. They will tour France & England for a span of 9 days, after which they will return to Kenya.
This opportunity comes with a significant price tag. Parents will be required to allocate Sh. 560,000 per child to cover the expenses of their flight and accommodations abroad.
This fee encompasses the visa application, round-trip flight and complete accommodation in Europe. The only excluded aspect is the student’s pocket money, which the parent will be responsible for forking out.
Interested students must possess a valid passport to be part of the trip.
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During their visit to England, they will explore the iconic Emirates Stadium, the home ground of Premier League club Arsenal in North London. They will also visit other captivating locations throughout the UK capital.
In France, students will get to experience the joys many children dream of at Disneyland Paris Theme Park.
Rise of Makini Schools
The school was established in 1978 by Mary Okello and her late husband Pius Okello. It was initially named Riara Gardens Academy and only had 8 students.
The school was located at a colonial bungalow where the founders lived.
The mother of 3 says that she established the school after noticing a need to improve education standards in the country. Her education interest would turn out to be the holy grail she needed to join the Supreme Kenyan billionaires club.
“A class would have 70 or 80 students per teacher so we felt there was something that we needed to do,” she said.
In 1996, the school was split into 3 sections; Junior, Middle and Upper. In the same year, Makini Academy was created for secondary learning, admitting 27 boys into Form 1. The following year, they also began to admit girls.
The educational centre has grown into a reputable institution over the years and has expanded to different regions. It has several learning institutions.
They include Makini Cambridge, Makini Ngong Road Campus (Pre and Primary School), Makini Ngong Road Campus (High School), Makini Junior Academy, State House Avenue (Pre & Lower Primary), Makini Junior School Migosi, Makini School Kibos and Makini School Kisumu.
In 2018, the Alliance High alumni sold a 71% stake in her school to UK investor Schole Limited and South African firm Advtech Limited. From this, Okello earned over Sh. 1 billion from foreign investors.
“A 71 per cent interest in Makini School Limited (via Schole Mauritius Limited) was acquired on 1 May 2018 for a consideration of R130.8 million (an equivalent of Ksh930 million),” Advtech wrote in their acquisition announcement.