Abel Mutua and his wife Judy Nyawira made a deliberate choice when their daughter Stephanie Mumbua, popularly known as Mumbus, finished primary school in November 2023; they pulled her entirely out of Kenya’s traditional education path. Amount Abel Mutua pays as fees at Brookhurst International School, Mumbus sat her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams and officially wrapped up primary school, becoming the first person in the Mutua household to don a graduation gown and cap. Her parents marked the moment on social media on 4 November 2023, brimming with pride. By January 2024, she had already started a new chapter. Why Mumbus left the 8-4-4 system The decision to switch curricula was not made quietly. In a public discussion involving her parents, Mumbus openly expressed frustration with the rigid structure of the 8-4-4 system. Abel and Judy listened, and the family agreed to enrol her at Brookhurst International School’s Kiserian Campus, an institution running on the British academic calendar and offering the Cambridge International curriculum. Though her parents initially kept the specific school name out of the public eye to give her space to settle in, Brookhurst International School later confirmed her enrolment through public announcements, revealing that she is a boarding student at their Kiserian Campus. The Cambridge system operates on a September-to-July school year, which differs from Kenya’s January-to-November national calendar. Mumbus completed Year 9, the final stage of Lower Secondary, by mid-2024, and has since been working through her upper secondary education during the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic periods.
How much does Abel pay in fees? Academically, the transition appears to have paid off. Mumbus, who previously struggled with mathematics, reportedly excelled in the subject after settling into her new school environment and topped her class in the early stages of her studies. As of July 2026, she is preparing to enter Year 11 when the new school term opens in September 2026 the final and most critical year of her IGCSE course cycle. Annual fees for Year 11 are KSh 1.2 million, which is paid in two instalments of KSh 647,050 according to the school’s website. Abel Mutua’s daughter elected school president The biggest milestone of her high school journey so far came in July, when Mumbus was officially elected school president at Brookhurst International School for the 2026/2027 academic term. The achievement made headlines across Kenya, with her parents sharing their excitement publicly. Brookhurst International School, where Abel Mutua enrolls Mumbus as a boarding student following the Cambridge International curriculum, charges fees that reflect the premium nature of the institution. For the current academic year, the annual tuition at Brookhurst’s Kiserian Campus runs into several hundred thousand shillings, a significant financial commitment that underscores the couple’s investment in their daughter’s education outside the national system.
