By Amoto Ndiewo
As students from private secondary schools boarded vehicles on a road show honking in celebration for their good results in Garissa town, Garissa High quietly celebrated their top position within the compound.
Not bogged down by a spate of four destructive snaps of arson, resulting in intermittent closures and loss of property of unknown value, Garissa High scaled the academic ladder from a mean grade of 6.08 (C) in 2020 to an impressive 6.69 (C+) in 2021 national examinations. It had in 2019 posted a C- of 5.10.
The school, commonly known by its acronym GSS, has been steadily rising through the previous three years. In the 2020 KCSE, the school increased the number of students going to university to 92 from 41 in 2019.
In the 2021 KCSE, 243 candidates who sat the national examinations posted an inspiring performance of 6.69 points. This enabled more students to qualify for public university placement. 5 scored B+, 12 had B, 40 got B-, 56 C+, 76 C, 4 C-, 6 attained D+, 5 averaged D while 1 recorded an X, making a total of 103 who qualified for university.
In comparison, 243 sat the exam in 2020 where 2 had A- , 6 B+, 20 B, 23 B- and 41 C+. Other grades were as follows: 44 C, 66 C-, 30 D+, 9 D and only 1 D-.
‘’This time round, by the grace of Almighty Allah, 113 candidates have qualified for national public universities,’’ said Chief Principal Mohamud Dubat.
Dubat prefers to be called a ‘chip-in’ team leader. He told Education News that despite numbing problems resulting from long breaks, the teachers self-drive and students’ determination has been the driving force behind the success.
‘’I’m proud and appreciate the teachers and students’ engagement in working round the clock to finish the syllabus in time,’’ said Dubat, adding that though the teachers had been working round the clock, their systematic approach motivated them without risking the dreadful burn out.
He is an astute and pragmatic manager, amiable among even the students.
Former student Ahmed Mohamed Khere says: “In his short stint, Dubat has revamped the institution and instilled a working spirit, necessitating a steady academic improvement. Achieving such results in such a harsh environment is not a mean fete.’’
The optimistic Dubat said despite an acute teacher shortage, he expects the 54 dedicated teachers to score better in this year’s KSCE.
Started in 1969 as the first secondary school in then remote Garissa District, Garissa High is one of the two national secondary schools in the county.
It has churned out top leaders like the current East Africa Absa Managing Director Abdi Mohamud, former National Assembly Majority Leader and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, and Isaac Hassan, former chairman of the Defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya, amongst many others.
In an uncommon historical development, though a boys secondary school, GSS has few notable lady alumni. The list has Ijara sitting MP Sofia Abdinur, former NEP Girls Chief Principal Ebla Aden and Marian Hussein – a 2013 Garissa Woman Rep contestant. All did their forms A-levels at Garissa High from 1986.
Ironically, despite such gallant North Eastern ladies having attended boys schools in a male chauvinist society, to date some girls Secondary schools in the region are headed by men.
A case in point is Mohamud Dubat himself who headed Fafi Girls in Bura before being transferred to GSS.
Dubat said the school’s current enrolment stands at 1483 students. The first two junior classes have 10 streams, Form 3 has seven and Form 4 has five streams.
The school has two able deputy principals namely Kamau Karanja and Osman Hussein.
Hussein explains that besides carrying out benchmarking study tours in more successful schools across the country, teachers often have occasional briefs.
“A week kicks off with a brief on expectations and closes with another one evaluating and reviewing our achievements,’’ said Hussein.
Karanja attributes their success to discipline among the students.
