The Catholic Diocese of Meru established Chuka High School on 54 acres as an intermediate school for boys in 1964.
The secondary school kicked off in 1965 as a single stream with 35 students — and became four-streamed in three years.
The school recorded double intake in 1966, and by 1969 when the first ‘A’ level class was started, Chuka High was four-streamed. In 1980s the school initiated science and arts based ‘A’ level classes. ‘Chuka Mighty’, now with over 800 students has had 15 principals since inception.
‘Snachaz’s is the hottest of three buses in the school where boys will soon enjoy meals in upcoming spacious dining hall besides splashing in a swimming pool courtesy of its old boys.
Charles Boyd was a popular English teacher who taught notable alumni including Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi who hammered githeri infested with weevils and served with boiled cabbage and beans and porridge with little sugar before proceeding to Alliance High.
Favourite meal days saw ugali served with boiled meat. Radio presenter Shaffie Weru must have looked forward to that when he was a student there between 1994 and 1997, when teachers thought his pierced earlobes were a sign of belonging to a cult. Shaffie was the basketball team captain and head of entertainment and drama club.
He cooled urban tendencies in Juhudi and Uhuru dormitories and scored a B.
Other alumni who wore white shirts, grey trousers and maroon cardigans were University of Nairobi Linguistics don and renowned playwright Prof Kithaka wa Mberia, Dr Gideon Muchiri, associate regional resettlement officer at UNHCR, Kunga Ngece, an aspirant for Chuka/Igambang’ombe parliamentary seat and Silas Chris Kiperus, a sociologist at Unbound, a US-based humanitarian organization.
Other old boys guided by the motto Lucere et Lucere Dignitas (Latin for Learn and Learn with Dignity) include Dr George Kimathi, senior Lecturer at Daystar University, Edward Mutethia, scientist and project assistant at KWS, Captain Paul Liketi, a private investigator and security consultant and Protus Mugikuu, a senior process coordinator at NAS Airport Services.
