By Angatia Leonard 
St. Teresa- Mukunga Secondary School is gearing up to register the highest mean score in the history of the school.
Both the teachers and students are working tirelessly hard to improve the academic performance in the school at all costs. In 2024 KCSE, the school managed to send 18 students to university, after registering a mean of 4.3 up from 4.1 of 2023, resulting in a positive deviation of 0.2.
Principal Cosmas Ngutuku, a down to earth administrator, joined the school in September 2023. He introduced a raft of measures that will propel the school to greater heights. For example, the set target for the current class of 176 candidates is 5.3. To achieve their target, the students are burning the midnight oil by engaging in intensified revision in both internal and joint exams.
They also have extra learning hours, both in the mornings and evenings for the fairly disciplined and eager to learn students.
“Our current candidates class is an average class with a greater potential than the previous one,” he said, adding that the school has partnered with neighbouring schools in doing joint exams as a move towards improving academic standards.
The principal revealed that after the release of every exam, the top three students from each class are motivated through tokens to encourage them do better. Teachers whose subjects do well are also motivated by being given cash rewards, a move that has promoted healthy competition for good performance.
Mr Ngutuku is an academic committee member of KESSHA Likuyani sub-county, a gesture that shows he is an academician who has vast experience in propelling any learning institution into fruition. He has been a principal for over 20 years, touching the lives of many children, and helping them achieve their desired goals. He believes in hard work, integrity and resilience as the key pillars for progress in life.
On infrastructural development, the principal bought a 20,000 litre water tank to help in water storage and ensured that in all the corners of the school there are water points. His simple act has improved sanitation in the school.
He has also fitted CCTV cameras at strategic points within the school compound to promote the safety and wellbeing of students. The administration block has been tiled,three classrooms have terrazzo and plans are underway to put in all the classes terrazzo and the gate and all buildings have been renovated with new paints.
The five stream mixed sub-county school is located in Kongoni ward Likuyani sub-county. Since it is in a cosmopolitan location, the school draws students from Uasin-Gishu and Kakamega counties. It boasts of a student population of 601 and 25 teachers—12 employed by TSC and 13 on BoM terms. The figure shows that the school is understaffed when compared to the Curriculum Based Establishment (CBE) requirements of 38 teachers.
The principal thanked Likuyani constituency MP for supporting the school through CDF and bursary allocation, easing the burden of fee payment for many parents who are peasant farmers. The MP also donated computers to the school in the ICT department in readiness for the CBC computer classes.
The Catholic Diocese of Kakamega sponsored school is struggling just like any other school in the country. Its biggest challenge is fee payment and late disbursement of capitation by the Ministry of Education.
The other challenge is that the fast growing school is built on an acre piece of land, making it hard for expansion. It also doesn’t have a playing ground, though the school administration is in consultation with the MP on how to acquire more space for the expansion.
Deputy Principal Catherine Lichuma said the school is set up in a serene environment with ambient surroundings conducive for quiet learning.
She added that other than academic excellence, the school also does well in co-curricular activities, especially drama and music festivals, athletics where they reach the regionals, and ball games where they go up to counties.
Follow us on social media and like the following outlets: Facebook (page and group)-education hotspot news updates. WhatsApp (channel)-education hotspot news updates. X(twitter) handle – @education hotspot news updates. This is the home of hilarious stories across the country on education segment.
Joy Christine
Facebook Comments