TMET Trustee visit to Kuria April 2025

Summary of visit

• A successful visit where all objectives were achieved • Well attended Annual TMET Get Together Party held • ‘TMET Beneficiaries’ group more active • Trustees visited approx 30 students and ex-students in their homes, over the four different local Branches • Student stories recorded • TMET to fund a tablet for every University student (11 in total) • Student fee arrears an issue for students • Lack of revision books an issue for students • New Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) commences in 2026 • Huge bank of photos now on file • Relationship with our accommodation hosts, SFIC (Sisters of the Franciscan Immaculate Conception) is sound (in Nairobi, Narok and Kehancha) • Trustee visit cost around £4000 in total

1. The Get Together Party was held on Saturday 19th April, and was well attended by many parents, students and ex-students. Mathias Mwita, TMET Kenyan coordinator, had organised the event to be ‘student-led’, which worked extremely well. The attendees were split in to syndicate groups (parents, current students, University students and ex-students) to discuss various questions. The aim of this was for them to report back current issues to the Branch officials and the TMET Trustees. During the feedback session, the usual issues arose: difficulty in paying fees; fees arrears; lack of books and revision books; need for a tablet/ laptop for University students and requests for TMET to sponsor more students.

2. One of the differences in this year’s Get Together Party was the number of TMET beneficiaries (ex-students) in attendance. This group is led by Joseph Gosiani, with the support of Faith Bunyige. During the party, an emphasis was placed on how the group should be supporting new students, with their own donations. They now have a bank account where the beneficiaries can transfer money to help with sponsorships. We have (measured!) high hopes for this group to sponsor their own students and create a support network for TMET students, past and present.

3. Visits to students homes: Whilst in Kuria, we managed to visit around 30 students in their homes, either current students of ex-students. This gave us an idea of the ‘neediness’ of the family, as well as a real chance to chat to the students face to face. We have recorded their stories, so we can use some of them on the website in the future. It was particularly interesting and encouraging to speak to the ex-students, some who had been supported many years ago, and to see how they were getting on. It certainly showed us the impact that TMET has had in Kuria over the last 34 years (sponsoring approx 340 students).

4. Tablets: It became clear during the home visits and talking to the University students’ parents that it is extremely difficult to manage without a laptop or tablet whilst studying at University (although we already knew this). After careful consideration of the TMET finances, and with research on the cost of tablets, we decided that we would fund 11 tablets (one per University student). This is a one-off large payment (approx £1800) but we will only have to fund one per new University student going forward.

5. Fee arrears: During the home visits, it also became clear that a few of our students have considerable fee balances/arrears. This is an agenda item for discussion at the AGM.

6. Revision books: Again, home visits revealed that students lack revision books. We visited a bookshop to enquire as to the price of these, and in the end gave Mathias around only £30 to help a very few students to buy a book or two.

7. Competency Based Curriculum: Starting the next academic year (January 2026), there will be Grades 10, 11 and 12. By the end of Year 9, and after their KJSEA (Kenyan Junior School Educational Assessment) students will have been put in to ‘Competency Pathways’ eg Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM); or Social Sciences; or Arts and Sports Science. TMET’s new students will be selected after their KJSEA results. It’s fair to say that there was some confusion about the new system when we spoke to students and parents in Kuria. And a great deal of apprehension about whether the schools are ready for the CBC.

8. Photos: We took a huge number of photos, which we will file and keep for the future. This will help us tell and track our student stories over the years.

9. The head Sister (Sister Beth) at SFIC was incredibly welcoming before and during the visit. We were able to stay at the convent in Nairobi before and after our flights to and from the UK. We also broke our long journey to and from Kehancha in Narok at the convent there.

10. It is worth noting the approximate cost of a Trustee visit is over £4500 in total. The visiting trustees choose to make a contribution, so TMET does not fund the whole cost. The cost includes airfares (over £1533); payment to SFIC (£600); visas; vaccinations/malaria tablets; presents; car hire (£1300) and fuel; esims; Get Together Party (£367) and other expenses.