Brilliant mixed secondary school, a three year old private school in Kieni, Gatundu North has opted to rear high breed cows to cut its costs.
The school which enrolled 47 students this year has a total of 192 students in both form one, two and three students, all who dine from the school which offers boarding facilities.
According to the school principal, Titus Mutonga, the school is trying to cut its costs and still offer quality feeding to the students in the school.
The principal who spoke on Thursday from the school said that the seven-cow incomes will be used both internally while the surplus will be sold outside to cater for school miscellaneous expenses.
The school operates in a four acre land where part of it is segregated for agricultural activities. Mutonga said the school is geared towards accommodating the poor, bright students who often are hitched from schooling by financial inabilities. The school boss who is also a shareholder cited that the school charges little fees as compared to the services offered explaining that the reason was because of the massive enrollment in 2016. He revealed that the cow idea was initiated after the school incurred a lot of funds while catering for milk and students agricultural inputs in 2015.
‘‘We incurred a lot of expenses in 2015 while catering for milk which is consumed daily in our school. Our agriculture students also require manure, all which we used the school funds to buy, making it hard for us to cater for all the school expenses still comparing our fees with the services we offer,’’ he said.
Parents in Brilliant secondary school have welcomed the idea which they claim will help in cost cutting.
‘‘We are happy with the ideas input in our school. I have a boy in form two and since his enrollment, I have never complained about fees or the quality of education. Now that the school has brought in a new cow idea, we expect better services,’’ said Jane Njambi, a parent.
The students too are happy with the school services.
‘‘Our teachers are highly trained. We defeat public schools in joint exams, we also enjoy the educational trips that our school offers,’’ said Joel Karuga, a form three student.