This study examines the contribution of national heroes in promoting patriotism among students in public secondary schools in Ngong Sub-County, Kajiado County. The research objectives were to assess the relationship between students’ knowledge of national heroes and their engagement in patriotic activities, identify challenges students face in learning about national heroes, and determine best practices for integrating national heroes into the history curriculum. The study adopted a descriptive survey design targeting students and history teachers. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Findings revealed that students with greater knowledge of national heroes exhibited higher levels of patriotism and civic engagement. However, challenges such as inadequate learning resources, lack of technology integration, and difficulty in relating history to modern contexts hindered effective learning. The study recommends enhancing the history curriculum, increasing resource allocation, improving teacher training, integrating digital tools, and promoting experiential learning methods such as field trips and role-playing. These findings provide valuable insights for curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers on strengthening patriotism through history education.