Kuppet boss lives dream after he builds school to give back to community

Kuppet secretary general Akello Misori built Rosehill School in 2017. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

When Akello Misori left Migori for Nairobi to represent post-primary education teachers at the national level, he thought about starting a project to help his community.

Misori, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) secretary general, first toyed with the idea of putting up a guest house given Migori is a border town.

He, however, quickly shelved the idea and decided to build a school.

The decision came naturally to him, given his teaching background. He had taught for nearly a decade. Misori also comes from a family of teachers, his wife Rose is also a teacher.

Today, Rosehill School, Migori, named after Misori's wife, has 280 learners and 12 teachers.

When it opened its doors in 2017, it had 60 learners in Standard One to Standard Five and four teachers.

"After serious consultations with my wife, we decided to have a school where we will get the satisfaction that we can also give to society and it can also benefit from our professional experience," Misori said.

Putting up the school located at Chamkombe in Migori town was not easy though.

Misori started the project off when he got his salary arrears of Sh1.7 million. He had bought the land earlier.

"These were salary arrears that had been pending from 2006," Misori said.

Kuppet secretary general Akello Misori. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

Misori saved and got insurance which after maturing enabled him to roof the school.

"The start was difficult because when students change schools there must be a motivation," Misori said.

This year, was the first time Standard Eight candidates sat their exams at the school.

"The first group which was supposed to do their exams last year left because they were only four in class," said the Kuppet secretary general
Despite being a private school, Misori said the fees is low as their focus is to see that learners get the knowledge they need rather than focusing on making profit.

The school charges about Sh14, 000 annually per child.
Misori notes that the school is more like charity as they have always have a satisfaction of giving back to the community.

"Quite a number of schools will charge and quantify what they are using to make the charges but if we do that then we will chase away the learners. The attitude to make profit out of the learners is not what we are encouraging," Misori says.

Allan Adika, a parent, said he took his two children to the school because of the values the institution instils in children.

One of his children was among the candidates who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam at the school. The boy joined Rosehill in Standard Three when it was starting.

"They even issued school uniforms to pupils when the school was starting," said Mr Adika.

Rosehill pupils during a past function. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

Adika said the children are never sent home for not clearing their fees, but calls are made and messages sent to remind the parents to pay fees.

"The teachers are committed and I have a seen a difference in my children's character. I don't think they are in business rather they are offering services to the community," he said.
Caren Oloo has three children at the school.

The eldest has done Grade Six test and the second one is in Grade Five.

"When I did my calculations the cheapest school I could find was Rosejill," said Ms Oloo explains.

Misori is planning to run the school full-time upon retirement.

The Kuppet boss pushed for school rankings to be abolished and has been vocal on the interference in education by the political class.

Misori followed in the footsteps of his father who taught for over 30 years.

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