Former Kenyan radio presenter Jeridah Andayi has opened up about raising school-going children in the United States, clarifying why they are never pictured in school uniforms and why her daughter Norah still finds time to run a blog despite being in high school.
Andayi, who relocated to the US, took to social media on Tuesday, November 3, to address the flood of questions she regularly receives from followers back home who are puzzled by what they see.
“I get this question all the time: ‘Do your children even go to school in America? Why are they never in uniform, where does Norah get the time to blog yet she’s in high school,'” she wrote.
How the US school system differs from Kenya
Andayi patiently broke down the structural differences between the two systems. In Kenya, school uniforms are mandatory, the school day tends to run longer, and activities like sports and drama clubs are typically woven into the official school programme.
In the US, it is a different story. Most public schools have no uniform policy, the school day is generally shorter, and extracurricular activities such as sports and drama take place after school rather than during regular hours.
She also highlighted the contrast in boarding school culture, noting that in Kenya, public high schools are predominantly boarding institutions, while in the US, boarding schools are rare and reserved for high-end private establishments.
Her explanation drew warm responses from followers, though a couple of them raised a worry that caught attention.
@fireproof_ashanti cheered her on, writing:
“Good job mama.”
@priscah.ayoma was clearly impressed by the American school experience, writing:
“Government schools in the US are fun. You have an iPhone, makeup and even a car. Life is so sweet when you have money, surely.”
