Baringo, Kenya – Following recent insecurity incidents in Baringo County, authorities have moved to reassure parents and guardians about the safety of their children in schools. This assurance is particularly relevant for form one students who are set to enroll in various National, County, and Extra-County schools in the region starting next week.
According to Kenya New Agency, Baringo County Commissioner Stephen Kutwa confirmed that security measures have been significantly strengthened, particularly in the Baringo North Sub-County and other conflict-prone areas. This enhancement comes after the national government, through the Ministry of Interior, deployed police and national Police Reservists to patrol the region.
Kutwa reported that primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions in the county have reopened, with about 70% of students having reported back to school. He noted that all teachers are present, and normal learning activities have resumed across the county.
In areas along the county’s borders, which occasionally experience insecurity, schools have been renovated with the assistance of the Kenya Defense Forces. These schools now have a permanent security presence to ensure the safety of parents, teachers, and students.
Kutwa urged education stakeholders to maintain close communication with security agencies, allowing for rapid response to any emerging issues or tensions to ensure uninterrupted learning. He also called on locals to foster and promote peace, emphasizing its importance for the region’s and the country’s overall well-being.
BUNGOMA – Two students from Bungoma High School are still waiting for their 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary School (KCSE) results due to issues with misplaced marks.
According to Kenya New Agency, The school’s Senior Principal, Enock Andaje, spoke from his office on Thursday, explaining that while 344 students sat for the examinations, results for two students are pending. “I am appealing to the affected students and their parents to be patient with us as the Ministry is working to release their results,” Andaje stated.
Bungoma High School saw an improvement in the last year’s KCSE results, achieving a mean score of 7.13, an increase from the 6.74 mean score in 2022. The school ranked second in Bungoma South Sub-county, following St. Mary’s Kibabii boys, which topped the list with a mean grade of 8.0. Cardinal Otunga Girls High School placed third in the recently released exams.
The school’s performance included eight A grades, 24 B+, 55 B, 45 B-, 67 C+, 88 C, 44 C-, and 13 D-. “We appreciate the Board of Management, parents, non-teaching staff, students, and all education stakeholders for the impressive results. We are also hopeful of regaining our position as the academic giants of yesteryears,” Andaje noted, expressing gratitude for the collaborative effort.
Looking forward, the Principal emphasized the need for concerted efforts to achieve even better results in the future. “We want to make sure we lead in Bungoma County and the Western region at large as the powerhouse of academics,” he said.
In the same region, Friends School Kamusinga marked a significant academic comeback by posting a mean of 9.36 in the 2023 KCSE. The school, with 463 students, recorded an outstanding performance, scoring 30 straight As and 89 A- grades. The Principal, Paul Weloba, credited the success to hard work and determination among teachers, parents, leaders, support staff, and the community.
Weloba also reflected on the school’s performance in 2022, noting a negative deviation of 0.369. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. There is a future for Friends School Kamusinga. We are going to do even much better, and the 2024 class is prepared even more than last year’s,” he said.
The situation in Bungoma highlights the ongoing efforts of schools in the region to excel academically, despite the challenges faced by individual students.