Mixed reactions as little-known schools shine while ‘giants’ trail in Nyamira

Well known performing schools were outshone in the recently released Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

County and sub-county schools had to celebrate their performance.

Most of them registered a positive deviation from 2020’s examination results.

Nyakeore SDA Secondary School, a sub-county school in West Mugirango constituency, Nyamira County, caught Education CS Prof. George Magoha’s eye during the release of the examinations.

Prof. Magoha announced that Nyakeore was the top school in the country in the category of sub-county schools, with a performance index of 65.2%.

With a mean score of 9.03, all 151 candidates scored above grade c+ (plus), paving the way for a 100% transition to public universities.

Its Principal, Mr. Bruce Kerage, while addressing the media in the school soon after the release of the exam results, said that the good news caught him unawares as he was not expecting such a ‘wonderful’ performance from his candidates.

“Of course, we were not expecting all this, but we knew our students would improve from what they attained in the 2020 examinations.

This is a surprise to even the candidates and me and our staff,” said Kerage.

“We thank God for this, and for any result, there must be discipline and hard work and, above all, coordination from all school stakeholders.

This is what has brought us the joy of the good results we are celebrating here,” he said.

The Principal noted that the students had set their target at 6.5 but was surprised that they surpassed it.

“This is a surprise because our target has been surpassed and this is a great challenge to us and everybody as we prepare for another lot of candidates for this year’s December examinations.

It may not be easy to stay at the top,” Mr. Kerage said.

He noted that the results posed a challenge as they will have to maintain the top mark or surpass it in the coming examinations.

“But a result like this equally comes with its share of challenges because we must struggle to maintain the mean score rather than dropping, which may raise concerns next time.

We must struggle to maintain this next time or surpass it; it’s a challenge indeed,” he added.

The school has been on an upward trajectory on KCSE performance, with the latest being the best ever attained in its history.

Our Lady of Mercy Rangenyo Girls had set their mean score at 6.5 in 2021 after attaining 6.2 in the previous examination.

They managed to surpass their target to attain 7.9448, 1.7038 above their expected score.

The school’s Principal, Ms. Lydiah Onyoni, said the school has been making positive improvements over the last five years.

She took over the baton in 2016.

“We are making reasonable steps and I hope we are headed where our dreams are set, to be a national class school to be admired by all across the nation. We are building our brand,” said Ms. Onyoni.

The school, whose candidature was 125, managed to produce 114 of them with the minimum university entry grades.

In Borabu Sub-county, Mwongori SDA Secondary School posted a mean score of 8.014, which the Principal, Mr. Charles Onyari, noted was one of its best ‘worked for’ results and he was proud of.

“As to our school motto, we strive to excel, and we believe in personal hard work.

The results we have posted are a true reflection of the individual ability of the candidates, a result which our school is ever proud of. We don’t believe in shortcuts in life,” said the Principal.

The school had a candidature of 354 and 322 of them managed to acquire the minimum direct entry grade to Kenyan public universities.

The school was among the top in Nyamira County.

St. Kizito Nyansiongo Boys School is also on the roadmap to reclaiming its lost glory after registering a mean of 9.3.

Two hundred and twenty-eight candidates out of the 229 candidates who sat for the examinations are likely to join public universities after scoring the minimum required grades of C+ (plus).

St. Gonzaga Gonza Isoge Secondary School, with a candidature of 45 students, managed to register a mean of 9.3, with 44 students qualifying to join university.

St. Mathias Mulumba also posted a mean of 5.04, with 15 of the 73 candidates qualifying for university.

Menyenya S.D.A High School had 194 students qualifying for university.

Its candidature was 392.

In Manga Sub-county, Nyambaria Boys School, one of the national schools in the region, registered a mean of 9.308.

The school was the top producer of grade A (plain), the much-coveted grade in the country.

It had the highest number of candidates in the county who sat for the examinations standing at 580.

Only seven did not attain the minimum university entry grade.

Nyambaria, whose Principal is Boaz Owino, also produced number eight top student nationally in the category of special needs.

Bonface Momanyi was ranked position eight in the category with A-(minus) mean grade.

Nyaikuro SDA Secondary School, headed by Dr. Eric Wara, posted a mean of 8.046.

The school had targeted a mean score of 7.5, a mean the Principal assured that was achievable in an interview at the school earlier in the year.

“We are certain that the target that our candidates have set is achievable looking at their capability, we may even surpass it,” he had hinted earlier.

At Sironga Girls’ High School, a national school, 450 out of 459 who sat the examination qualified to join Kenyan universities.

The school, which has been improving each year, posted a mean of 8.76.

It also produced top grades of 3 A (plains) and 30 A- (minus).

Sironga and Nyambaria are the only national schools in Nyamira County.

Kebirigo Boys School, which topped last year’s examinations in the county, registered a mean of 9.174.

Other schools that registered impressive results are St. Peter’s Nyakemincha (8.84), Gesiaga Mixed (7.6), Nyamira Boys (7.2), Nyakongo boys (8.72), Riyabe Mixed (6.822), Nyachururu P.A.G (7.24) and Bosiango SDA (6.75).