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A heritage of firsts, since 1948
The first institution of higher secondary education for African girls in Kenya — and, for over seven decades, a national home of scholarship, character and service.
Our story
Where it began
Alliance Girls' High School sits on 71 acres of wooded land at Kikuyu in Kiambu County, about 20 km from Nairobi. It was the first African girls' high school in Kenya, started for the African girl child by Scottish missionaries. The land was given by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), which has remained the school's sponsor to this day.
The first ten girls arrived on 28 February 1948, drawn from the different provinces of Kenya — a national outlook the school has kept ever since. In 1961 Alliance Girls' became one of the first five schools in Africa to offer the High School Certificate, then the requirement for university entrance. The school has always carried a strong Christian tradition and way of life.
Our sister school, Alliance High School, lies within walking distance, and the two schools continue to maintain close relations.
What guides us
Vision, Mission & Motto
To become a leading and most preferred National School in the provision of quality, excellence and holistic education for girls in Kenya.
To provide a conducive environment and to offer quality, excellent and holistic education that motivates students to discover their talents and strive to reach their potential, thereby equipping them to fit well in society and contribute positively to the nation.
"Walk in the Light"
A charge that has shaped Alliance women for three generations — in scholarship, in faith and in service.
Our identity
The crest
The crest is composed of a yellow flaming torch superimposed over St. Andrew's Cross on a green background. The initials A.G.H.S sit above the crest, and the motto "Walk in the Light" beneath it — both written in yellow.
- ✦Yellow represents the light of the torch.
- ✦Green depicts the life given by the Light — and the growth of the school; our uniform is green.
- ✦White speaks of the product of this life.
St. Andrew's Cross reflects the school's Scottish Presbyterian founding.
A constant reminder
The school song
Composed in 1985 by Mary Dena, an 'A'-level student, to inspire the girls to work as a team and revive the school's glory — sung at the beginning and end of every term.
Friends are precious, they're the best of all things that one can ever have,
Nothing material can take the place of the comradeship between you and I.
Genuine friendship has no jealousy, no pride, it has no envy and no lies,
It has no room for loneliness and pain, because it's all based on love. Based on love.
The light of Alliance has always been and forever will be our guide,
Challenge can never alter the course of the goals we've all set for our lives.
The light of Alliance stands for unity and hope, it binds us together, makes us one,
It gives us the strength to courageously go forth, all in the power of the Lord. Of the Lord.
Ethos & faith
Chaplaincy & our sponsor
Alliance Girls' is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), guardian of the school's Christian ethos since its founding. Faith and values sit at the centre of school life.
The school chapel, one of the landmarks of the campus, stands opposite the administration block. It hosts services through the week and is also where the school barazas — the student parliament and community meetings — are held, in keeping with a tradition of shared responsibility and voice.
Leadership
Those who lead the school
Tap a name to read more.
Through the years
Our principals, 1948–present
| Principal | Years |
|---|---|
| Mrs Jean Wilkinson | 1948–1954 |
| Miss Mary Bruce | 1955–1968 |
| Mrs Joan Waithaka | 1969–1984 |
| Mrs Rebecca Karanja | 1985–2002 |
| Mrs V. M. Kituri | 2003–2004 |
| Mrs J. N. Mbugua | 2004–2008 |
| Mrs Dorothy Kamwilu | 2008–2016 |
| Mrs Catherine K. Irungu, H.S.C | 2017 |
| Mrs Virginia Gitonga | 2017–2022 |
| Mrs Jedidah Mwangi | 2023–2025 |
| Mrs Margaret Njeru | 2025–present |
Carry the light forward
Explore our results, our alumnae and the life of the school today.