By Fredrick Odiero
ACK St Peters Wagai Mixed Secondary School located in Gem, Siaya County has been producing high performers who have secured chances in both public and private universities yearly.
Those who do not qualify to join universities, join middle level colleges and technical/vocational training centers.
The school’s principal Mrs. Mary Agunda said that it is acceptable that not all students can make it to the university hence the need to broaden the scope of qualification to accommodate all the learners who have varied potentials.
‘We need to accept that not all candidates can qualify for university admission. They are those who are able to cross the threshold for middle level colleges,” she said.
She revealed that in 2020 KCSE, the school sent 17 out of 114 candidates to public universities compared to KCSE 2019 when 11 candidates joined public universities.
Mrs. Agunda added that the school had a positive deviation of 1.0 after getting a mean score of 4.6 compared to 3.6 in KCSE 2019.
The sky is the only limit for the day and boarding school which is determined to perform much better in the subsequent examinations.
The principal vowed to focus on the upward performance of the school.
The school, which was incepted in 2014 with only 31 students, now has a population of over 700 students and is on the right track as it enjoys great support from the teachers, the board of management, parents and students alike.
The success of the school cannot be discussed in full without mentioning the hard working and dedicated deputy principal Mr. Alfred Otieno whose support and that of the entire teaching staff has propelled the school into greater heights over a short period of time.
The learning institution has 10 teachers who have been posted by the Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) while 16 others have been engaged by the school’s Board of Management.
Agunda said that the school strains in paying the teachers employed by the board but remained optimistic about the accomplishments of the school.
‘I’m hopeful that in the next few years, the school will be a well-known center of excellency,’ she said.
She added that the school lacks a good library, a proper multipurpose hall and a computer laboratory to serve the students.
Agunda also said that the school is overcrowded due to the 100% transition policy by the government and is in dire need of more classrooms.
‘The school also needs a bus to transport students for academic and extra curriculum activities. We also need more science laboratories since we only have one,’ she pointed out.
She expressed gratitude to the area CDF for constructing two classrooms and we revealed that one was converted into an administration block. She also commended the school’s board chairman for assisting the school secure some parcels of land around the institution.
She further appealed for more support from the kitty.
She added that the available space on which the school lies isn’t adequate for future expansion.
