Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has revealed that he has a soft spot for teaching, and that his practice is so dear to him that it is his greatest addiction.
Speaking at a prize-giving ceremony at the St Philip Baricho Secondary School on Friday, November 13, he revealed that despite his many responsibilities in the government ,he is passionate about empowering students with important life skills.
"I am a teacher by default, I have taught at the university for 17 years, and people wonder why I have a soft spot for education. Teachers will tell you, educating is an addiction, it is even worse than drugs," he stated during the event.
He went on to challenge the school's principal to organize a session when he could teach form four students Mathematics, in preparation for their forthcoming Kenya Secondary Certificate of Education(KCSE) examination next year.
In his address, the vocal PS rooted for the development of day secondary schools, noting that the improvement of such facilities has helped cushion parents from paying large amounts of money for tuition fees.
He used the platform to reveal that he is a product of day school, suggesting there should be a paradigm shift regarding the perception that such schools cannot produce top performers, as he is the prime example that anyone can make it.
"We need to change the attitudes towards public day schools, these schools give those poor performers an opportunity to be improve in their studies," he urged parents in the event.
Before his appointment as Principal Secretary, Kibicho was a lecturer at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), where he headed the Mechanical Engineering faculty for 17 years.
He has also lectured at the University of Dar es Salaam, the Central University of Technology and the University of Cape Town, both in South Africa.
Kibicho has pioneered various projects in the education sector in his home county of Kirinyaga, such as construction of St Peters Gathuthi-ini Secondary School by the Gathuthi-ini Hope Foundation under his patronage.
Many students have benefited from such acts of kindness, with his foundation supporting 60 high school students under a fees sponsorship programme. He recently secured funds to support the education of three students at Our Lady of Lourdes Mwea Medical Training College after taking part in a charity walk.
He lauded the Competence Based Curriculum CBC curriculum, affirming that it will help identify and nurture talents that will help students become their best selves, noting that harnessing such talents will complement their academic excellence.
