Eddah Gachukia is an educational entrepreneur the director and founder, Riara Group of Schools. Dr. Eddah Gachukia is one of the longest serving and respected educationist in Kenya.
Education
Eddah Gachukia graduated with a Diploma in Education from Makerere University College. After teaching for 3 years she advanced her education at Leeds University where she specialized in language teaching.
She then joined the University of Nairobi where she graduated with a Bachelor degree in 1971. Her Masters Degree was upgraded to PHD in 1973. She obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Literature in 1981.
Eddah Gachukia Career
Between 1973 and 1987 Dr. Gachukia was a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. She was also a Member of Parliament between 1974 and 1983. During the period 1987 and 1990 Gachukia was National Advisor to UNESCO on Population Information and Development Communication for Kenya. In between she was also for over 10 years the Chairperson and Board of Governors of Kenya High School, which is one of the largest girls secondary schools with boarding facilities in Nairobi. She was also a member of Boards of several other schools including the Alliance Girls High School and State House Road Girls High School.
Eddah served as the Founding Executive Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) 1993 – 1998 which is a non-governmental Pan African Organization based in Nairobi and serving over 30 African countries. FAWE membership comprises of Women Ministers of Education and University Vice-Chancellors in the African region. The NGO concentrates on the promotion of policies and practices aimed at enhancement of girls’ education in Africa countries.
In addition to being a Director and shareholder of RGS, Eddah Gachukia was the chairperson of Uchumi Supermarkets Ltd, a Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR). She has served on the Board of Kenya Airways and Nation Newspapers Limited, among others. She is a respected member of several Organizations of which she has served in various capacities. These include the National Council of Women of Kenya, the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO), the YWCA and the Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development.
Dr. Gachukia’s wealth of experience as an educationist, business executive and social worker have been useful in the development of The Riara Group of Schools. She has been a member of various education review task forces and chaired the task force that whose recommendations guided the implementation of the Free Primary Education in Kenya.
Political Career
Mrs. Gachukia also had a remarkable political career serving as a nominated Member of Parliament for two terms between 1974 and 1983.
Author
The Alliance Girls Alumni has authored numerous educational journals and books with ‘Accelerating the Education of Girls and Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Development Imperative’ being the most popular in her collection.
Some of the other publications include ‘Gender, education, and training: a case for affirmative action’; ‘Teaching of African literature in schools’ with S. Kichamu Akivaga; ‘The Women’s Grant in bilateral assistance: main report’ with Janne Lexow and ‘Notes on Ngugi wa Thiongo’s The River Between’.
Eddah Gachukia Awards
Eddah Gachukia
Eddah is the recipient of many honors and awards for her outstanding contributions in the realm of education. Here are a few of them;
In 1997, H.E President of Senegal Abdou Diouf honored her for service to Girls’ and Women Education in Africa.
In the 25th graduation ceremony of Kenyatta University held in December 2008, she was honored alongside Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete with a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa).
In 2009, The International Committee of the Fellowship of the Least Coin honored her, for exemplary effort in education development in Kenya.
Family, Husband and Children
Eddah Gachukia is married to Daniel Gachukia: Kenya’s longest serving Chief of Protocol who is the CEO and Chair of Riara Group of Schools. Together they are blessed with four children:
Alan Gachukia: The former banker is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin (Political Science and Economics, class of 1982) and Strathmore Business School (Advanced Management). He is the Executive Director of Riara Group of Schools and board member of Nairobi Hospital.
Suzanne Gachukia-Opembe: Studied music in the US and formed the all-girl trio, Musikly Speaking, comprising Susan Matiba and Joy Mboya in 1985 and later Afro-pop band, Zannaziki (where former hubby Gido Kibukosya was a guitarist) and music production via the defunct Samawati Studios and Serenade Music. Now married to Kenyan ambassador to Ireland, Richard Opembe, Suzanne runs the music label, Sub-Sahara Ltd. Son Marcus Kibukosya (Kcous) is a member of music group, Camp Mulla.
Tony Gachukia: For a decade to 2009, Tony was a TV sports anchor and voice over artist before the graduate of business and journalism hanged his lapel mic to run Thamuru Fish Farm in Kahaine village in Murang’a – where greenhouses and science have created ‘Lake Victoria-like conditions’ for 15,000 fish in 14 ponds on 13 acres.
Juju Gachukia-Muthama: The alumnus of Bridgeport University, USA, (Bsc, Merchandising) and Daystar (Diploma in Education) is an interior designer and operations director at Riara Group of Schools, as well as Council Member at Riara University.
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