About Mang'u High School

A Catholic national boys' boarding school in Thika, Kiambu County — founded in 1925 and known across Kenya for academic distinction and a pioneering spirit.

Our story

A hundred years on the Thika road

Mang'u High School was founded in 1925 and today stands as one of Kenya's leading national boys' boarding schools, set along the Nairobi–Thika highway about six kilometres from Thika town in Kiambu County. It is a Catholic-sponsored institution, and faith, service and self-discipline have shaped its character from the beginning.

The school has long been a place of firsts. In 1951 it became the first African school in East Africa to offer a full science course in physics, chemistry and biology. In the decades since, it pioneered Aviation Technology as a national examination subject and built a reputation for excellence that places it consistently among the very top schools in the country.

Our motto, Jishinde Ushinde — "conquer yourself to conquer" — captures the formation at the heart of a Mang'u education: young men who master themselves, and in doing so, go on to lead.

Mang'u High School administration block — The administration block at Mang'u High School.

Milestones

A century of firsts

1925

Mang'u High School is founded.

1951

Becomes the first African school in East Africa with a full physics, chemistry and biology science course.

1961

The Air Program, Amateur Radio Club and Electronics Club are established — the roots of today's aviation and engineering tradition.

1996

Launches the Moi National Mathematics Contest, now contested by schools across Kenya.

2002

The school chapel is installed, anchoring Mang'u's Catholic chaplaincy.

2011

A French Language Resource Centre is opened with the French embassy and the Ministry of Education.

Our crest & motto

Jishinde Ushinde

The Mang'u crest carries a descending dove — the Holy Spirit — on a shield, beneath the school's name and motto. It speaks to the school's Catholic foundation and to the character it seeks to form.

Jishinde Ushinde is Kiswahili for "conquer yourself to conquer" — self-mastery as the path to victory.

Identity note (for the school): an earlier placeholder page showed the line “To Strive, To Seek, To Serve.” The crest and public record give the motto as Jishinde Ushinde, which we have used throughout — please confirm. A high-resolution or vector version of the crest would also help for print and large-screen use.

Vision

To be provided by the school.

Mission

To be provided by the school.

Core values

Mang'u's core values are to be confirmed by the school. Faith, discipline, service and academic excellence are reflected throughout the school's history and motto — we will set the official wording once supplied.

Sponsor & chaplaincy

A Catholic foundation

Mang'u is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. A school chapel, installed in 2002, is at the centre of the school's spiritual life, alongside a Christian Union, a Seventh-Day Adventist fellowship and pastoral care for boarders of every faith.

Leadership

School leadership

The Principal and senior leadership team lead the academic, pastoral and administrative life of the school, under the Board of Management and the Catholic sponsor.

To be provided: names, roles, photographs and short messages for the Principal, Deputy Principals and Heads of Department. The school magazine/yearbook is the ideal source — share it and we will build out clickable leadership profiles here.

Explore Mang'u

Discover academics, boarding life and the resources that support every learner.

Academics Boarding Life