St. Alphonsa Kisau Girls' Band. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
St. Alphonsa Kisau Girls' High School has assured fans of its now-famous school band that the group is not disappearing anytime soon, thanks to deliberate talent nurturing under Kenya's Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
The school's Chief Principal, Florence Kimeu, said the institution has put in place a structured talent development programme that ensures continuity of the band, which recently captured the attention of social media users with impressive renditions of popular songs such as Stella and Samba.
Speaking to journalists after the school's Prize Giving Day ceremony, Kimeu explained that the band forms part of the school's efforts to implement the CBE curriculum by nurturing learners who have specialized in music and dance.
"The CBE system of education is aimed at nurturing talents, and St. Alphonsa Kisau Girls is offering music and dance as a way of developing the abilities of students who have specialized in that area," she said.
According to the principal, the school has intentionally invested in training young musicians through the guidance of teachers Mr. Musau and Mr. Moses, ensuring that learners acquire practical skills that can benefit them even after completing their studies.
"We have developed the band through two teachers, Mr. Musau and Mr. Moses, so that by the time these students leave school, they will have nurtured their talent and can even become self-employed before joining higher colleges," she noted.
Kimeu revealed that the school has already established a succession plan within the band, with Grade 10 learners being trained to take over from older students as they complete their studies.
She pointed out that students playing instruments such as the guitar have already been successfully replaced by younger members, demonstrating the sustainability of the programme.
"Last year and this year, we have had replacements. Because of nurturing talent, the Grade 10 learners are equal to the task. That is why the group you have seen today is well blended between Grade 10 learners and students from the 8-4-4 system," she said.
The principal expressed confidence that the band's future is secure, noting that the younger learners have shown even greater enthusiasm than their predecessors.
"The band is not likely to die because the Grade 10 students are even more interested than those who were playing last year," she added.
Beyond entertainment, Kimeu said the initiative is helping students discover and refine skills that could eventually become a source of livelihood.
"When I see those students play, it is not only a source of entertainment, but I also see great talent that needs to be nurtured. When they leave school, these are students who can even use those skills as a source of income," she said.
The continued success of the St. Alphonsa Kisau Girls' Band is increasingly being viewed as a practical example of how the CBE curriculum can help learners develop marketable talents alongside academic excellence, while ensuring that creative arts remain a viable pathway for future careers.
