- Langalanga Mixed Senior School Principal Rufina Mutegi has been transferred to head Utumishi Girls Senior School.
- She takes over as the school reopens following a month-long closure after a dormitory fire that claimed 16 lives.
- Education officials say the experienced administrator will steer the school’s recovery and normalisation.
Langalanga Mixed Senior School Principal Rufina Mutegi has been transferred to Utumishi Girls Senior School in Gilgil, where she will take over leadership as the institution reopens following a month-long closure after a tragic dormitory fire.
Mutegi succeeds Ms Joycelene Muraguri as the new principal.
Confirming the transfer, Nakuru County Director of Education Victoria Mulili said Mutegi reported to her new station last week and will formally assume office as learners return.
Mulili said parents were informed of the leadership changes during a meeting held ahead of the school’s reopening.
She noted that Mutegi assumes leadership at a critical time as the institution embarks on recovery following one of the country’s worst school tragedies in recent years.
Utumishi Girls Senior School is scheduled to reopen in phases beginning Tuesday, June 30, exactly one month after a dormitory fire claimed the lives of 16 students.
According to a notice issued by the school, Form Four, Grade 10 and Form Three learners will report first under the phased reopening programme.
The institution was closed on May 28 following the May 27 fire that destroyed the Meline Waithera Block dormitory, which accommodated 220 students.
A record of academic excellence
Mutegi joins Utumishi Girls with a distinguished record in school leadership and academic performance.
She has headed Langalanga Mixed Senior School since before the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, during which the institution recorded notable improvements in academic results.
During her tenure, she successfully guided the school through its transition into a public senior school under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
She also spearheaded its elevation to a C4 Public Senior School, increasing its capacity to accommodate more than 1,260 day scholars.
Her leadership transformed the former sub-county day school into a strong academic institution that consistently produced top KCSE candidates, including students attaining straight A (84 points) and A- grades.
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Among the outstanding performers during her tenure were Isaac Mugambi in 2022 and Laura Ayuma in 2024.
Education stakeholders have expressed confidence that Mutegi’s experience in school management and academic leadership will support Utumishi Girls as it rebuilds and resumes normal learning.
By Joseph Mambili
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