Taita International School (TIS)
P.O. Box 181-80305
Mwatate, Kenya
Tel: +254 725 285586 (c) Manager
+ 254 0714 305010 (c) Principal
Vision: To be a World-Class Center for Learning
Mission: To Prepare Well-Rounded Global Leaders
Goal: To inspire, nurture, teach, mentor, and equip
for the 21st century global village.
Taita International School (TIS) is a community-based, privately-owned educational institution consisting of:
A. Nursery & Pre-School (ages 3-6)
B. Primary School Standard 1-8 (ages 6-14)
C. High Schools Form 1-4 (Age 14-21)
The school is set within the sprawling Taita Hills which are surrounded by the Tsavo National Park, famous for its man-eater lions that terrorized the workers building the Kenya-Uganda railway line during the beginning of the 20th century. TIS is located in a small market town called Mwatate, along the busy Mombasa-Tanzania highway, about 100 km from the spectacular Mt. Kilimanjaro (often referred to as the ceiling of Africa).
Quality education is the pillar of development in any society:
Increasingly, it has been shown that the Kenyan 8-4-4 education system is overburdening learners with academics only and not imparting any essential life skills. Schools are griped by a neurotic drive for academic excellence that has spurned a new breed of teachers whose major preoccupation is handing out bags of tricks for passing national exams. Educational institutions are churning out academic giants who are easily dwarfed by challenges of the 21st century world. Any worthwhile education system should be transformative, that is, encourage academic excellence and embraces critical skills for progressive social change. TIS offers a broad-based 8-4-4 curriculum that also equips learners with essential life skills for negotiating the 21st global village that includes:
Increasingly, it has been shown that the Kenyan 8-4-4 education system is overburdening learners with academics only and not imparting any essential life skills. Schools are griped by a neurotic drive for academic excellence that has spurned a new breed of teachers whose major preoccupation is handing out bags of tricks for passing national exams. Educational institutions are churning out academic giants who are easily dwarfed by challenges of the 21st century world. Any worthwhile education system should be transformative, that is, encourage academic excellence and embraces critical skills for progressive social change. TIS offers a broad-based 8-4-4 curriculum that also equips learners with essential life skills for negotiating the 21st global village that includes:
Computer literacy
College Orientation
Work Place Orientations
Oral and Written Communications Skills
Financial Literacy
Foreign Languages,
Performance Arts
Intercultural Exchanges,
Outward-bound Courses
Civic Education
Agriculture
What makes TIS Special?
TIS provides an Enriching After-school Programs to the Local Community
A. Computer Literacy
We offer computer literacy to children starting from 3yrs of age
We offer computer literacy to children starting from 3yrs of age
who come from the local community but cannot afford to pay tuition in TIS. So far we have 4 PCs and two laptops that we use. Our aim is to get 20 PCs by the end of 2010 through our own initiatives and support from well-wishers.
B. Library Services
TIS offers library services to children from ages 3yrs to 20 yrs who study in different schools. Most of the local schools do not have libraries and there is no library in Mwatate village town. We have an E-granary Digital Library, Encyclopedias and various data bases on discs, learning materials in digital form, DVDs and over 1000 books. Our aim is to further equip our library to have Internet and other up-to-date research materials. We require more current books, journals, magazines, maps, dictionaries and other learning materials.
TIS offers library services to children from ages 3yrs to 20 yrs who study in different schools. Most of the local schools do not have libraries and there is no library in Mwatate village town. We have an E-granary Digital Library, Encyclopedias and various data bases on discs, learning materials in digital form, DVDs and over 1000 books. Our aim is to further equip our library to have Internet and other up-to-date research materials. We require more current books, journals, magazines, maps, dictionaries and other learning materials.
C. Reading Program
During school vacations, TIS runs English Language Reading Programs for learners from different schools in the district. Teachers and youth volunteers help children learn English through reading books and one-on-one coaching. English is the official Kenyan language used in schools and offices and it is imperative that students are proficient to effectively compete in the world of work. We are looking for resources, mainly digital form, DVDs etc., that can be used to teach English in a more fun way such as in Sesame Workshops, Muppets etc.
D. Sports, Games & Performance Art
To keep the youth out of drugs, alcohol and HIV/AIDS, we promote sports, games and performance during the weekends and school vacations. We have a strong performance arts program to nurture talent and expose the learners to the outside world through participation in district, provincial and national annual music and drama festivals.
To keep the youth out of drugs, alcohol and HIV/AIDS, we promote sports, games and performance during the weekends and school vacations. We have a strong performance arts program to nurture talent and expose the learners to the outside world through participation in district, provincial and national annual music and drama festivals.
E. Financial Aid and Scholarships
TIS selectively provides financial and educational scholarships to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and other social realities that militate against them being able to pursue quality education. Presently, ten-percent of our students are under this scholarship. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we seek and employ individuals that are in marginalized groups; especially single mothers and widows to empower and assist them pay tuition for their children at TIS.
TIS selectively provides financial and educational scholarships to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and other social realities that militate against them being able to pursue quality education. Presently, ten-percent of our students are under this scholarship. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we seek and employ individuals that are in marginalized groups; especially single mothers and widows to empower and assist them pay tuition for their children at TIS.
F. Volunteer Opportunities and Cultural Exchanges: One of our objectives is to bring the world to Mwatate village. So far we have had three Ohio University Alumni volunteer at the school teaching a variety of subjects from Spanish, Kung fu, Dance, Cookery, American history and literature and life skills. We invite interest volunteers from all over the world to apply for consideration. More information will be provided to serious applicants.
Contacts
Maria Majalia – School Principal
Dip Ed., ATS 1- Kenya
Math Education – Ohio University
Principal – Taita Academy
D/Principal – Taita Academy
Teacher of Math & Chem from ‘86
+ 254 0714 305010 (c) Principal
Dr. Mjomba Majalia – School Patron (Manager)
PhD.Communication Studies – Ohio University
MA International Affairs – Ohio University
Bachelor of Education – Kenyatta University
Part-Time Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agric. & Tech, Taita/Taveta Campus 2010
Part-Lecturer in communication, Daystar University, Mombasa, Kenya. 2010
Communication Studies Prof. Bloomsburg , Ohio & Monterrey Universities
Principal – Allan Mjomba High ‘93-‘97
Principal – Dr. Aggrey High ‘91
D/Principal –Dr. Aggrey &Ngangao‘91-‘93
Teacher of Physics, Physical Education & Biology from ‘83
+254 725 285586 (c) Manager
As natives, career educators and international scholars we founded Taita International School to give back to our community and alleviate ignorance, unemployment, poverty, rampant drug abuse and disease.
Our goal is to inspire the young to dream big through a process of nurturing, teaching, training, mentoring and role modeling.
At TIS we put a lot of emphasis on character building as we strive for academic excellence.
