This archive report was first published on 10 October 2019.
Former President Daniel Arap Moi's legacy in education is well-documented, with a strong emphasis on ensuring that as many children as possible went to school. However, a closer look at his education charity history reveals a peculiar bias towards girl child empowerment.
According to various sources, President Moi was a strong advocate for girls' education, often stating that educating a girl was equivalent to educating a family. This was evident in a speech he made in March 2015, where he called for the establishment of more girls' secondary schools.
"When you educate a boy, you educate an individual, but when you educate a girl, then you are educating a family," President Moi said during a prize-giving day at Emining Boys High School in Baringo County.
He further emphasized the importance of educating girls, stating that it was not wise to overlook them and educate boys only, as they would eventually find no one to marry after getting the best education.
"Assuming the society turned a blind eye on the need to educate girls and ignorantly enrolled boys only into school and then into the best universities, what would happen when they go back to their respective villages? Who would they marry?" President Moi posed.
President Moi's bias towards girl child empowerment was also evident in his personal relationships with schools. He was a big fan of Naivasha Girls Secondary School and once gifted the school a bus nicknamed 'mrembo'. He also kept tabs on how the school performed in national examinations.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. Moi High School Mbiruri in Embu County is a boys' school, and Moi Forces Academy in Nairobi is also a boys' school, while its twin Moi Forces Lanet is a girls' school.
