Early Childhood Education - Nairobi

The streets leading to Shalom High Places Pre-School (a private school) are unpaved and lined with poorly constructed buildings. It's housed on the ground floor of a three-story apartment building. The school has no lights and consists of three classrooms: a baby class (2-3 yr. olds), nursery (4 yr. olds) and pre-unit (5-6 yr. olds). Every morning 70 students attend classes and are taught, according to teacher Nancy Vivian Obanda, 30, the national curriculum (the same syllabus as government schools). Their high pitched and melodic voices are incorporated into the learning experience as they regularly cheer one another after correctly answering a question. "It helps make learning fun for them. They're very young so you can't teach them like the bigger kids. Singing helps them to stay interested in the syllabus," said Obanda.