Ric Francis Photography: Documentary photography in East Central Africa and Norway

Early Childhood Education - Nairobi

The streets leading to Shalom High Places Pre-School (a private school) are unpaved and lined with poorly constructed buildings. It's housed on the ground floor of a three-story apartment building. The school has no lights and consists of three classrooms: a baby class (2-3 yr. olds), nursery (4 yr. olds) and pre-unit (5-6 yr. olds). Every morning 70 students attend classes and are taught, according to teacher Nancy Vivian Obanda, 30, the national curriculum (the same syllabus as government schools). Their high pitched and melodic voices are incorporated into the learning experience as they regularly cheer one another after correctly answering a question. "It helps make learning fun for them. They're very young so you can't teach them like the bigger kids. Singing helps them to stay interested in the syllabus," said Obanda. 

  • Teacher Nancy Vivian Obanda, third from right, chats with parents who are dropping off their children.
  • Ebsen Onyango, 4.5-yrs. old, (second from left) chats with a classmate.
  • Nancy Vivian Obanda prepares to wake Stephen Maina, 2-years-9 months, while Isaac Muriithi, 3 years, does class work.
  • Nursery school teacher Cecilia Muringi checks a student's homework and reading ability.
  • After correctly answering a question Vivian Aisha, 4, rocks her hips and head as her classmates sing, {quote}Well done, well done, try again another day, keep up a very good girl.{quote} The school uses songs to make learning fun for its young students.
  • Cecilia Muringi, who teaches the nursery (4-5 year olds) class, calls out names for students to come forward with their homework.
  • Nancy Vivian Obanda leads her baby class students in prayer before their snacks are distributed.
  • Ann Rose Nyambura, 3, is the center of attention as classmates observe her doing classwork. Their teacher is walking around the room collecting notebooks for grading.
  • Nursery school students sing along with their teacher who is a the front of the room.
  • Nursery school students play while their teacher, at the front of the room, administers a test to three students at a time. {quote}I can't test the entire class at once because they would just play with, tear or stain the paperwork,{quote} says Cecilia Muringi.
  • Nursery school students play while their teacher, at the front of the room, administers a test to three students at a time. {quote}I can't test the entire class at once because they would just play with, tear or stain the paperwork,{quote} says Cecilia Muringi.
  • While testing a student's reading abilitynursery teacher Cecilia Muringi eyes a student who is not behaving properly.
  • Dionisia Wawira Kitmaka teaches the pre-unit (5-6 year olds) class.
  • Several girls wait for lunch to be served.
  • A nursery student comforts an ill classmate during playtime.
  • A student glances out the window during class.
  • Several pre-school boys sing and dance in front of their classmates.
  • Cecilia Muringi reviews the just completed work of her nursery school students as she has them read from their notebooks.
  • Ebsen Onyango, 4.5-yrs. old, sits at her desk during class.
  • Maria Wanjiku, left, the school cook, relaxes and monitors the nursery school class during naptime. Ebsen Onyango, 4.5-years, top-center, sits with her eyes open.
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