By Abdullahi Jamaa
The Wajir High School Alumni Association on Saturday outlined progress on a series of education projects worth more than KSh111 million during its 2026 Annual General Meeting, as alumni, government officials and development partners renewed calls for greater investment in one of northern Kenya’s oldest secondary schools.
The Annual General Meeting, led by Wajir High School Alumni Association Chairman Abdirahman Ali Hassan, was graced by Governor Ahmed Abdullahi as the guest of honour.
Also in attendance were Deputy Governor Ahmed Muhumed, the Wajir County Commissioner, members of the school’s Board of Management, teachers, parents, students, development partners and alumni.
A key focus of the meeting was the implementation of projects pledged during the school’s diamond jubilee celebrations in July 2025. According to Alumni Association Secretary Abdullahi Maalim, the anniversary celebrations raised approximately KSh111 million through contributions from government, corporate organisations, alumni and development partners.
Maalim said the funds and pledges had supported the construction of a modern resource hub, a twin science laboratory, energy-saving kitchen infrastructure, the acquisition of a new school bus, refurbishment of an older bus and commitments toward completing the school’s perimeter fence and improving water supply. He said most of the flagship projects had either been completed or were nearing completion.
“We were able to raise about 111 million Kenyan shillings in this same venue,” Maalim told the meeting while presenting the association’s annual report.
He added that Bluebird Aviation had donated approximately 750 beds, mattresses and mosquito nets for students, while other partners had supported infrastructure and learning facilities.
Despite the progress, Maalim said significant challenges remained. He identified inadequate sanitation facilities, ageing infrastructure, limited dining capacity and the need for expanded digital learning facilities as priorities for the association’s next phase of development.
Chairman Abdirahman Ali Hassan described the gathering as an opportunity to focus on education rather than celebration, thanking alumni, sponsors and public institutions for supporting the school over the past year.
“I am happy today this event is different from even the major we’ve had, the 60th anniversary celebrations. I say so because it’s an education day,” Hassan said.
He also appealed to parents to play a more active role in supporting students, particularly those in the school’s boarding section, saying parental involvement remained essential to academic success.
Hassan acknowledged support from organisations including KCB, Safaricom Foundation and Isuzu, as well as individual donors who contributed to school improvement projects.
Governor Ahmed Abdullahi officially flagged off the school’s new bus and inspected the ongoing ICT hub and twin science laboratory projects.
He described Wajir High School as a landmark institution that had shaped education in the region since becoming the first secondary school established in the former Northern Frontier District.
“Wajir High School is more than a school,” the governor said, adding that preserving its legacy was “a responsibility we all share.”
He commended the alumni association for mobilising resources for the school and encouraged parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education through close attention to both academic performance and discipline.
The Wajir High School Alumni Association says it was created to strengthen ties among former students and mobilise resources to improve the institution. Its first major initiative was organising the school’s 60th anniversary celebrations, which became a significant fundraising exercise involving alumni from Kenya and abroad, government agencies, corporate organisations and development partners.
Founded as the first secondary school in the former Northern Frontier District, Wajir High School has produced generations of professionals and public leaders. Alumni leaders said sustaining investment in infrastructure, student welfare and digital learning will be critical to ensuring the institution continues to serve as a leading centre of education in northern Kenya.
