Alliance Girls High School

Alliance Girls' High School is a national girls' boarding school located near the small town of Kikuyu in the Kiambu District of the Central Province of Kenya, 20 km from Nairobi. It is within walking distance from its brother school Alliance High School.

History

Founded in 1948 by the Alliance of Protestant Missions, Alliance Girls' High School was the first institution of higher education for African girls in Kenya, and served in parallel lieu to Kenya High School that then only admitted European girls. Before independence it was called African Girls High School. Alliance Girls High School sits on 71 acres of land in Kiambu West district, Central Province.

The first 10 girls admitted to the school arrived on 28 February 1948. These girls were drawn from the all the different provinces in Kenya. This national outlook has been retained to-date. It has since been a pioneer of African education and is held as a vanguard academic elite and maintains close relations with its brother school, Alliance High School

Admission

Admission is highly competitive. Only students who have impeccably done well at the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education are selected to attend. The school partakes of the national quota system that sees a balance in admission of students from all Kenyan Districts.

Academic Reputation

Alliance Girls' High School prides in its academic prowess. It maintains a top 10 position in the KCSE yearly. In 2011, the school emerged the 2nd National school, only after the Alliance High School, and 5th nationally.

All students go on to top Kenyan Universities as well as reputed international universities. The school supports applications to colleges in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa among others. Similarly, a couple of it' students are annually selected to the African Leadership Academy; a highly selective leadership program through the entire continent.

AGHS crest

The crest is composed of a yellow flaming torch superimposed over St. Andrew's Cross on a green background. The initials AGHS are above the crest, while the school motto 'Walk in the light" is underneath, both written in yellow.

The colour yellow represents the Light of the torch, while the green colour depicts the life given by the Light. The white colour speaks of the product of this life. The school uniform is green. Green is life which signifies growth of the school.

The AGHS schoolgate

Principals

• Mrs Jean Wilkinson 1948–1954
• Miss Mary Bruce 1955–1968
• Mrs Joan Waithaka 1969–1984
• Mrs Rebecca Karanja 1985–2002
• Mrs V.M Kituri 2003–2004
• Mrs J.N Mbugua 2004–2008
• Principal – Mrs Dorothy Kamwilu

The school chapel, one of the landmarks of the school, is located opposite the Administration block. It is used for services on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. It is also where the school Barazas are held. The school chaplain is Reverend Marion Strain until Reverend Dorcas Kamau took over in 2011.

Notable alumni

• First Lady Lucy Kibaki
• Abigail Indire (among the first 10 African girls to attend high school in Kenya's history, in 1948)
• First woman presidential candidate – Hon. Charity Ngilu
• First woman cabinet minister – Nyiva Mwendwa
• First woman head of civil service – Sally Kosgei
• Poet, writer and educator – Micere Mugo

New House