Starehe was founded in 1959 by Geoffrey Griffin, Geoffrey Gatama Geturo and Joseph Kamiru Gikubu as a rescue home for boys, starting in tin huts donated by Kenya Shell and BP, according to the school’s official history page. It grew into a primary school, secondary school and technical institute, and Starehe Girls’ Centre opened in 2005. The motto is “Natulenge Juu”, let us aim high. Starehe is a charitable institution, and its UK supporters describe a sliding scale of fees agreed with the Ministry so that better-off families subsidise free places.
Results, Campus and Alumni
Admission to Starehe works differently from most C1 schools. The school’s admissions page asks for a strong primary exam result and evidence of financial need, followed by an interview and means testing, according to the Starehe admissions. Applicants use the school’s Yellow Form. Families should apply to Starehe directly as well as listing it among their 12 choices.
In KCSE 2025, 301 candidates scored 34 As and 99 A-minuses for a mean of 9.97, and 292 qualified for university. Starehe’s alumni page lists Olympic 800m champion Paul Ereng, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, Julius Kipng’etich, Raphael Tuju, the late Prof. George Magoha and Peter Kenneth.
Starehe UK, the school’s British supporters, says Starehe Schools now care for almost 2,000 students, and that the founders were backed from the start by Shell/BP, the Sheikh Charitable Trust, Save the Children and the Dulverton Trust. Visitors over the years have included President Mwai Kibaki, the Princess Royal, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Indira Gandhi. Starehe is also a member of the international Round Square network of schools.
Besides the secondary school, Starehe runs a centre and a tertiary institute offering accountancy and computer studies. Its crest shows a griffin, a lion and two bugles, which the school says stand for courage, strength and readiness to serve. Starehe Girls’ Centre, its sister school, opened in 2005 with 72 pioneer students.
Starehe Boys’ Centre on the Ministry of Education List
The Ministry’s senior schools list (June 2025) places Starehe Boys’ Centre in cluster C1 (national), as a boys’ boarding school in Starehe sub-county, Nairobi County, KNEC code 20400004. Nairobi has 13 C1 schools in total; in Starehe the others are Pangani Girls. Other C1 boys’ schools in Nairobi: Lenana School, Moi Forces, Nairobi School.
Starehe Boys’ Centre Fees 2026
Because Starehe uses means-tested fees, ask the school directly what your family would pay rather than assuming the gazetted ceiling. Public boarding fees are capped by Gazette Notice 1449 (6 February 2026) at KSh 53,554 or KSh 40,535 a year for parents; ask Starehe Boys’ Centre which cap it uses. More on senior school fees.
Choosing Starehe Boys’ Centre for Grade 10
Rank it alongside safer C2 to C4 options, and ask which pathways and subject combinations it offers. Useful: pathways, the KJSEA grade calculator, and all Nairobi schools.
Preparing for KJSEA? See our KJSEA revision guide.
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