Mang'u High School/ HANDOUTMang'u High School is facing a shortage of classrooms and ageing infrastructure as its student population rises to about 2,800, with the institution also grappling with the presence of hyenas and snakes around the school.
Principal Bernard King'ah said the school, which occupies about 209 acres in Juja subcounty, has several underutilised and ageing buildings while at the same time lacking enough classrooms to accommodate its growing enrolment.
He said the school currently has about 137 teaching staff and 79 non-teaching staff.
“In terms of facilities, in quite a number of areas we have underutilised facilities. We also have a shortage of classrooms for the school enrollment,” King'ah said.
He said some of the school's buildings had also become old and were no longer being used to their full capacity.
“We also have a challenge of ageing buildings, which is quite true. And quite a number of them are underutilised as well,” he said.
King'ah said the school was putting up new facilities to address some of the infrastructure challenges.
He also pointed to the school's expansive grounds and its surroundings as another challenge, with the institution sometimes experiencing high population density that can make interaction between the university and students difficult.
The school has historically operated from different locations before settling at its current site, according to King'ah.
He said Mang'u currently has about 2,800 students, making the demand for learning spaces a pressing concern.
The principal also raised concerns over wildlife within the school's surroundings, including hyenas and snakes, which pose an additional challenge to the safety and management of the institution.
The wildlife issue comes alongside the school's broader infrastructure pressures as it seeks to accommodate a large student population on its 209-acre campus.
Despite the challenges, King'ah said the school had continued to perform well academically.
He said Mang'u recorded a mean score of 9.8 in 2025, with a similar mean score of 9.8 in 2024.
The principal said the school continued to work towards maintaining its academic performance while addressing infrastructure needs.
The institution's size, staffing levels and academic performance place additional pressure on its available facilities, particularly classrooms and older buildings.
King'ah said the school was also dealing with underutilised facilities even as some areas faced shortages, highlighting the need to review how existing buildings and spaces are used alongside construction of new facilities.
The principal's concerns come as schools across the country continue to deal with pressure on infrastructure linked to enrolment and the condition of older buildings.
King'ah said the school was doing its best to address the challenges while maintaining its academic standards.
