At the heart of Kivumbini slum in Nakuru City is Kivumbini Mixed Day Secondary School — an institution boasting modern classrooms and well-manicured lawns.
Established more than a decade ago, the public school in Nakuru Town East Constituency now faces imminent closure after attracting only a handful of students. Specifically, it has has fewer than 100 students and only 4 Form Four learners.
Once home to more than 600 learners, the school has effectively turned into a deserted facility, which is ironic given that it is located in the middle of a densely populated informal settlement.
When the Nation team visited the school on Monday morning, an eerie silence greeted us. The near-empty compound underscored the gravity of the situation.
Entrance to Kivumbini Mixed Secondary School in Nakuru City on January 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Save for the sound of teachers’ footsteps echoing through almost vacant classrooms, the atmosphere resembled that of a school on holiday.
Despite its solid infrastructure and the presence of more than 10 Teachers Service Commission (TSC)-employed teachers, parents have been reluctant to enroll their children due to insecurity and the presence of criminal gangs in the neighbourhood.
“We are often hesitant to enroll children here because of criminal gangs such as Confirm operating nearby. We fear our children may be harmed on their way to or from school, or even recruited into the gangs,” said Joseph Omondi, a Bondeni resident.
Other gangs reportedly operating in neighbouring informal settlements include Mauki, Wa TZ, Eastlando, Nyuki, Gaza, Msafi and Dragon.
For the past five years, Kivumbini Secondary School has struggled to admit new students painting a grim picture of the challenges faced by schools in slum areas. While nearby institutions such as Nakuru Central Secondary School and Kimathi Secondary also grapple with low enrolment, the situation at Kivumbini is particularly dire.
The administration block at Kivumbini Mixed Secondary School in Nakuru City.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Categorised as a C4 school under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, the institution was established to serve learners from Kivumbini, Bondeni, Flamingo, Kaptembwo and surrounding areas.
On Monday, when schools across the country began admitting the first cohort of Grade 10 students under the new senior school structure, none reported to Kivumbini Secondary School.
Although the Ministry of Education had placed students at the school, none of them had shown up by Monday.
Teachers are largely idle due to the low student population, a situation that has raised concern among education stakeholders.
“The school has experienced declining enrolment...It used to be a three-stream school, but by 2021, it dropped to two streams and later to a single class. Even then, the numbers remained very low. This year, we may have only four Form Four candidates,” said a teacher who requested anonymity, citing restrictions on speaking to the media.
“Between 2023 and 2024, more than five teachers were transferred to other schools due to the low student population. Some support staff were retrenched, and government capitation has also been reduced,” the teacher said.
Nakuru East Sub-County police commander Samson Andanje address parents and education officials at Kivumbini Secondary School during a meeting on January 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The situation prompted education stakeholders to convene an urgent meeting on Monday to rescue the institution from collapse.
The meeting, presided over by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, Kivumbini Ward MCA Sakwa Neto and the area Deputy County Commissioner, brought together teachers, parents and education officials led by the County Director of Education Victoria Mulili. It resolved to rename the school from Kivumbini to Nakuru Mixed Senior School in a bid to revive enrolment.
Ms Mulili said the decision followed consultations with teachers, community members and education stakeholders.
“The name Kivumbini carries negative historical connotations that have discouraged parents from enrolling their children here. To attract learners, the Ministry has announced that students will not pay any fees. The school will source food and some learning materials from neighbouring schools, while the Ministry will supply learning materials for Grade 10 students,” Ms Mulili said.
“The Ministry has also engaged principals of neighbouring schools, including Afraha Secondary, Langalanga and Flamingo, to release students who transferred from Kivumbini, to help stabilise enrolment,” she added.
The Nation also learnt that the school administration has been using institutions such as the chief’s office, the MCA’s office, Nyumba Kumi elders and word of mouth to attract learners.
“The school, teachers and administrators are working closely with local leaders to encourage enrolment and ensure a safe learning environment,” said MCA Sakwa Neto.
Mr Gikaria acknowledged the seriousness of the situation but said efforts were underway to save the institution.
“It is unfortunate that such a well-equipped facility is lying idle while qualified teachers are ready to work. We are holding meetings and exploring ways to rescue the school,” he said.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr Abdi Hassan said education officers had been deployed to establish why parents were withdrawing their children and to propose solutions.
“We want to understand why the school is under-utilised and take the necessary steps to save it,” said Dr Hassan.
