Josephine Mboya is the proprietor of Ruaraka Academy. She grew the school from a kindergarten housed in a residential house to the current high performing school with 700 pupils. In this interview with Woman of Faith she tells of her struggles and success.

“Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:31

Josephine

Please give us a short background on your family and education.

I was born and brought up in Wangige, Kiambu. I am a teacher by profession. I trained as a secondary school teacher at Kenyatta University (then it was called Kenyatta College) and employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Some of the schools I taught in include Machakos Girls, Mulango Girls and Alliance Girls. I resigned from the TSC when I got the job to start Thika Road Christian School. Thereafter I decided to start my own school. I was last born in a family of six children, four of whom became teachers like me. I have a daughter, Mugure, who is pursuing medicine at Nairobi university.

Tell us about your school.

Ruaraka Academy is a private Christian based school where we aim to prepare an all round child, that is, one who develops fully and harmoniously in all ways including physically, intellectually, spiritually and socially. This imitates the early life of Jesus who grew up in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men (Luke 2:52). The school has classes from kindergarten to Standard eight and follows the 8:4:4 system. We have about 700 children in three streams from class 1 to 8. Baby class, nursery and pre- unit have two streams each. Each class has up to 25 pupils.

How has the school performed in past KCPE examinations?

For the 2009 class we had 5 children among the top 100 for the nation and we had 13 among the top in the Nairobi Province. The Nairobi City Council ranked us 10^th out of 510 city primary schools. This was quite good considering that we register all children together, whether they are high performers or not. There was a humorous moment when the minister read the name of our top student last year. People thought he had stopped reading to praise the Lord. Her name is “Rubera Christine Hallelujah!”

How did you get the inspiration to start a school?

I always wanted to take care of children. When I was a small girl, it was my ambition to become an “ayah” and look after children. Some of my best memories are of my mother and I riding in a taxi (what matatus were called when I was young) between our home at Wangigi in Kiambu and the City of Nairobi. At Westlands, we would come across some smartly dressed house girls in aprons, pushing around beautiful prams of both wazungu and African babies. I wanted to be an ayah like them when I grew up.

I have not deviated far from that because I do look after small children even though I take them round in buses and not prams. Children are a delight. They are often laughing and shouting happily most of the  time.

I was also inspired by my previous work starting the Thika Road Christian school. It was very challenging. From then on I thought of fulfilling my dreams of opening my own school since I had all the experience. There were certain things I could not implement at the school since most decisions had to go through an administrative process.

When and how did you start Ruaraka Academy?

I started the school in 1988. It was a difficult time for me because that is also the time when I had my daughter Mugure. I started the school in a leased residential house near USIU where I could both raise my child and run a kindergarten. I found it difficult to get a loan of the Kshs. 30,000 I felt I needed and decided to go it simple and slow. I used the furniture I had and also got some additional pieces including books and toys from “expatriate leaving” sales. They were all the rage at the time and there were good deals to be had.

The first children I got in the school were due to the goodwill I had at Thika Road School. The school was popular and parents who could not get places in the school came to mine.

What are the main challenges you have had running and growing the school?

Like I said, I had a lot of problems raising cash in the beginning. When I decided to buy the current plot on which the school now stands, I approached my bank again for a loan but they declined. However, a subsidiary of National Bank called Kenyac at the time loaned me the necessary finance. The bank where I was doing most of my transactions subsequently bought off the loan and enhanced my loan to include funds to start construction of the school. Right now it is much easier for me to get a loan from the bank because of the assets.

Other challenges included legal requirements. There was the registration process. There were so many city council licenses and fees to be paid including payment for signboards. Competition is also very high with so many new and old schools.  Right now I find transport the most challenging. The four buses we have need to remain serviceable and running efficiently at all times or an alternative quickly arranged so as to ensure that children are picked their homes on time otherwise this affects the school time table and that of parents.

How many workers do you have?

The total permanent staff is 70. This includes teachers, drivers, cleaners, and watchmen. From time to time we also employ casuals as necessary.

Do you teach?

Not any more. Not since I started the school. I operate as the director only and have delegated most tasks. I have a headmaster, deputy, departmental heads, and so on. It is only when I started that I operated as “Jack of all trades” including driver.

How do you advertise your school?

Mainly through word of mouth and networking. Having parents come to the school is the best advertising especially when they come informally. We have an open door policy where parents and other stakeholders can drop in at any time with any complaints or suggestions. We also have open days such as thanksgiving, prize giving and so on.  Among our parents are a wide range of professionals, business people and politicians and when they are happy with what we are doing they tell others. We also tap into their knowledge as to any improvements we should undertake.

How do you cater for disciplinary issues?

Mainly through counselling, even involving parents especially for big offenses like fighting and stealing.

Which are the major challenges with the pupils?

Problems that they carry from home. Some pupils do not have a conducive home life. They may not have a good place to do their homework. Some are mistreated at home. It is especially a big challenge when one of the parents passes on or has a major illness. Most of our teachers have good counselling training and support such children through such psychological trauma when they get to know the problem.

How do you rate in co-curricular activities?

We have a big compound where children enjoy playing all sorts of games. We have reserved every Tuesday afternoon for games and every class has a P.E lesson a week. We also have various clubs. Our school has done particularly well in music festivals and swimming galas and have come tops in various categories

What do you consider as the most important achievement you have made?

I feel good when I meet some of the pupils who have gone through my school and are now at universities or working. I feel that I have done a service to the country in bringing up some upstanding members of the next generation.

What are your future plans?

I plan to concentrate in primary education and at a future date I may decide to provide boarding facilities for the upper classes.

What is your advice to women on starting a business of their own?

They should not start a certain kind of business simply because they have seen others start it. They need to have their own life time dream. Something they know they can do well. They should also get professionals to work with them on various issues where they lack expertise.

Which is your favourite Bible Story?

The book of Esther really inspires me. How a simple girl became a Queen and helped to deliver a nation. My favourite verse from the story is “For if you become silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you had come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:4

This article first appeared in the June--July 2010 issue of Woman of Faith magazine. Copyright Woman of Faith Magazine. All rights reserved. For comments write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it