- The event featured an unveiling of the target mean and handing over of coordination leadership.
- They also launched a revision program for the candidates.
- Improvements are expected as the school targets position one nationally.
After emerging second top in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in Kenya and earning the name (Kenya 2) with a mean of 10.67, Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho has not relented.
As the school burns the midnight oil for a greater success this year, on Friday, May 12, 2023, the school’s Chief Principal, Albert Ombiro, led his team in unveiling this year’s KCSE target mean.
The event was spearheaded by Dr. Robert Wafula from Kibabii University, who was the Chief Guest.
It was attended by top-notch scholars like Prof. Ernest Mohochi, Registrar of Academic Affairs at Kibabii University, who had accompanied Dr. Wafula; Prof. Margaret Barasa, Board of Management member and Chair of the Academic Committee; Magdalene Gesare, Head of Quality Assurance and Standards Office (QASO); Hyline Onderi, the newly-appointed Form 4 Class co-ordinator, among other guests, teachers and community leaders.
Last year was the building block for more years of success from their current mean of 10.67.
They are now planting new seeds as they anticipate achieving a school mean of 11.00 and an aggregate of 65 points (B Plain) as the lowest grade in the 2023 KCSE examinations.
Currently, the school has groomed 432 candidates for the upcoming national examinations.
“Thank you, Dr. Wafula, for what you planted on the students last year; we harvested. I urge you to plant again this year, and I know we will harvest come the end of the year,” the Chief Principal appreciated.
Last year, the school had set a target mean of B- (minus), but they surpassed their expectation.
This has motivated them to go for even higher heights of success.
Susan Matinde, a teacher at Kakamega Township Secondary School, accompanied the two guests to the event.
“Last year’s class was exceptional, and their performance in the last year’s KCSE exams was a forward push for even better success this year. To the conquerors class, this is your year; work hard and be humble. Congrats to last year’s class and good luck to the conquerors,” she said in her speech.
Dr. Wafula also delivered a motivational speech to the students and the entire Cardinal Otunga High School fraternity, urging them to position themselves for the success yonder.
“When a man is so desperate to get something, God and nature will conspire and give it to him,” Dr. Wafula advised during his speech to the students, teachers and guests.
He hopes that they will emerge top nationally in this year’s KCSE exams.
Success and the mind
“Success is a state of the mind. You must set your mind for success. You have to think in the direction of success to succeed. With our minds we rise, with our minds we fall, and with our minds we become slaves, even when we should be rulers,” Dr. Wafula challenged.
He says that if you want to improve the way you live, first improve the way you think.
He opines that a person is a product of his or her thoughts; you will pass, fail or remain the same depending on whether that is what is in your mind.
Speaking to the current candidates (Conquerors), Dr. Wafula urged them to have a conquering attitude and great aspirations.
“Always think of big things and keep the right company that steers you to the direction of success you are targeting this year and beyond,” he challenged them.
According to him, if you master your mind, then you are able to conquer everything.
He also adds that training minds to see the good in every situation is the best approach to use in order to achieve success.
The winning team
“An eagle flies with its own kind or alone,” he enlightened the young minds.
The speaker motivated the Conquerors class, who are gearing up to take on the KCSE exams at the end of the year.
He reminded the students that in the journey to success, they should believe in their dreams and in people who share the same dreams, just like the eagle does by keeping the company of its own kind or flying alone.
In his remarks, Prof. Mohochi, who had accompanied Dr. Wafula for the occasion, advised the students to always believe in themselves and nurture the right attitude toward life in order to succeed.
“We have been given opportunities, but it’s what we do with them that matters,” Prof. Mohochi stated.
He underscored the importance of succeeding because of how parents sacrifice for their kids to prosper.
The school and society
Beyond shouting out the name of Cardinal Otunga High School, success has also magnified the entire Mosocho community.
Speaking during the event, The area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Richmond Rayori, congratulated the class of 2022 for making the region proud and challenged this year’s class to outshine them and top the national list in 2023 KCSE.
Ratori appreciated the school’s hard work by giving KSh20,000 for the students to celebrate.
He also confirmed that the county government is committed to supporting the society and the school through dispatching bursaries early this term.
The chief guest, Dr. Wafula, says that a school is like an incubator, society gives the school young boys and the school gives back to the community grown men ready to face the world.
He also encouraged the students to always give back to society, which is currently raising them to success.
He used his own experiences of growing up in a squatter neighborhood with many challenges but found a way to succeed and is now giving back to society.
He gave his personal experience about how his father learned about the importance of education while in the military in Burma, where cadets received better treatment than the foot soldiers.
That experience made Prof. Mohochi’s father invest in him in academics, and the professor did not disappoint him.
The Conquerors
The 2022 class went by the name “The Pacesetters”, and the class of 2023 goes by the giant name “The Conquerors”, which scares the opponent before even getting to the battlefield.
The class is coordinated by Hyline Onderi, who took the mantle from Magdalene Gesare, current HoD Quality Assurance and Standards Office (QASO), who was coordinating the 2022 group.
Ms. Gesare hopes that the conquerors emerge to be Kenya One in the upcoming KCSE exams.
“I wish you good luck as you take up your new role in leading the Conquerors to success,” she wished her successor.
Ms. Onderi says she is confident of a bigger win from this year’s lot.
She urged the candidates to work towards the common goal of a mean of 11.
She confirms the candidate class completed the syllabus in the first term, and now they are to embark on serious revision after launching the target mean and a revision program.
The chair of the academic committee in the school’s BoM, Prof. Barasa, encouraged the students to embrace humility and that humility is everything.
“Ask and you will be given. Last year what was asked of us was delivered and the remaining part will be given in the coming prize giving,” she added.
She says that the BoM remains committed to helping the teachers and students to reach their mean target of 11 this year.
Further guidance
“Speak success into your future, because words have power. Success is a routine, monitor subjects and target to be above 65 points in every subject,” advised Dr. Wafula.
Success and thinking about success are what brings that conquering mentality. Everyone at Cardinal Otunga High School is about positivity, hard work and thinking and speaking success.
It is no secret that the last year’s results have energized them and placed them in a league of champions where they have to keep working to remain top.
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