A Day in the Bush
I had a 14 hour odyssey in “the bush" recently. I accompanied, Zach, an officer from the Kenya Ministry of Education on a back country tour of state public schools. Zach was assessing teachers, and I volunteered to be his driver. It was an adventure on a number of levels! We left the tarmac very early in the journey and the “roads” were deeply rutted dirt paths that recent rains had virtually washed away. For hours we traversed countryside which was alternately stunning and depressing.The majesty of the land and the flora and fauna was juxtaposed against the stark reality of poverty of the people living often without even the barest necessities. Speaking of barest necessities….. The rural schools we visited gave me a deeper perspective on education in Kenya and fueled my resolve more than ever to create a school that could serve as a model for educators throughout the country. Since 2003, primary education is mandatory for children in Kenya. Enforcement is minimal and facili