info@strathmore.ac.ke +254722221221
Strathmore began as a Sixth Form College offering a full range of Arts and Science subjects. At that time the full name was Strathmore College of Arts and Sciences.
The first Form Five students, 57 in number, enrolled in March 1961, and sat the Higher School Certificate Examination in November 1962.
The first Form One O-level students, 24 in number, enrolled in January 1977; during the years 1977 – 1980 the Secondary School was expanded to include Forms One to Four.
In January 1987, we welcomed our first 45, Standard One pupils. Since then; we have provided both Primary and Secondary education.
Dedicated to offering a comprehensive public educational curriculum, we currently implement the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) for the Primary section and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) for the Secondary section. The current student population stands at 792.
The principal goal of the School is to develop the conscience and train the minds of its students so that they may usefully serve society. Above all, the School emphasizes academic excellence and moral integrity. The School brings together students of unusual promise and experienced teachers to form a community which is conducive to learning.
The School believes strongly in the value of association with parents, particularly at a personal level where staff and parents can work together for the benefit of each boy. This cooperation is primarily fostered through regular meetings of a Tutor with the boy’s parents. The School also organizes regular Parents Meetings, to discuss important topics of general interest related to the education and upbringing of the boys.
Through daily close contact with the students, in the class-room, in extra-curricular activities and on the sports fields, the School staff, by example and precept, strives to teach the essence of goodness, honesty, responsibility, tolerance, hard work, humility and sincerity. The School aims to provide an education based on Christian principles.
According to the first Principal, Prof. Sperling, and the first Bursar, Mr. Borruso it came about after checking on many possible names. Strathmore was chosen because the dirt road, next to the College was called Strathcona Road. Strathmore sounded better and had a meaning nearer to the geographical site of the College. ‘Strath’ in Scottish means valley, just as ‘loch’ means lake. It also seems that ‘more’ means big or large. If you look at the map of Scotland you will see that it is full of ‘lochs’ and ‘straths’. One or two of these valleys look wider and are called ‘Strathmore’.
Where Strathcona Road got its name is beyond the scope of our present research. Perhaps it has to do with the first Baron of Strathcona and Mount Royal (1820-1914) whose original name was Donald Alexander Smith. He was the builder and financier of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and he was born in Forres, Scotland. We know that Nairobi was originally a railway town and this might have been a way to honour one of the great railway entrepreneurs of the time.
The Three hearts represent the three races which, in 1961 when the School started, were segregated in the colonial system of education. The heart represents the person, since it is taken as the source of all our actions, and the source of love. Being the three hearts of the same colour it shows the radical equality of all people. At the beginning it clearly meant the unity sought of the three major races. These days it means the co-operation of parents, teachers and students towards the same aim.
The Rose in full blossom represents, love, the source of all good desires and actions, even if at times it requires loving sacrifice, represented by the thorns the rose shows in its stem. The rose has some supernatural meaning. Love, in capital letters, is love of God. And also, it has some historical meaning associated with the life of Blessed Josemaria who inspired and encouraged those who started Strathmore: He received a sign by means of a wooden gilded carved rose in a very trying moment of his life.
The lion is the symbol of strength, power, courage of determined fight for excellence and justice. It also represents Kenya, our country, which has all the qualities mentioned above.
The motto “Ut ommnes unum sint” is in Latin. It is a quotation from a passage of the Gospel and translated means “That all may be one”. It expresses the desire of working together towards the same aim, in spite of individual legitimate opinions, preferences and tastes.
The colours in heraldry (the science of making coats of arms) have associated meanings as follows
Blue (Azure) Sky blue means high ideals, high aims;
Red (Gules) Blood red means sacrifice, love, fortitude;
Yellow (Gold ) Gold means eternity, perfection.
The School has a vibrant chaplaincy that takes care of the spiritual needs of the parents, teachers and students.
The Chaplain and his assistants speak with each of the students in the school from Grade 3 to Form 4 to offer them spiritual guidance.
The spiritual guidance at the school is entrusted to Opus Dei, a Personal Prelature of the Catholic Church. There is a Priest available to anyone who wishes to speak with him. Information on Opus Dei can be found on the following sites:
opusdei.or.ke
escrivaworks.org
josemariaescriva.info
