31 teachers feted for exemplary performance in 2020

Thirty-one teachers of secondary and primary schools have been honoured by their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), for exemplary work in 2020.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said it recognised the teachers’ excellent performances in the curriculum and management of the schools.

The recognition was part of World Teachers’ Day celebrations held at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday, October 5.

Five secondary school principals were honoured for managing institutions that topped the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The five – in order of merit – are Sammy Kipchumba (Kapsabet Boys’ High School), Flora Mulatya (Kenya High School), John Kuria (Mang’u High School), William Mwangi (Alliance High School) and Jacinta Waweru (Maryhill Girls’ High School).

The quintet’s counterparts in primary schools were also feted. The head-teachers, whose schools took up the top five positions nationally in the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), are Stephen Ngoma of Utafiti Primary School in Kibwezi, Makueni County; Josleen Karimi (Kathigiri Boarding School in Meru County), Anne Onyancha (St. Peter’s Mumias Boys’ Boarding Primary School in Kakamega County), Charles Kimutai (Tenwek Boarding Primary School in Bomet County) and Isaac Kipruto (St. Mathew’s Septonok Primary School in Nandi County).

School heads of the most-improved basic education institutions were also recognised.

Principals feted in this category are Lucas Opiyo Okello of Igorera Secondary School in Kisii, Jason Mogoa Onyango of Ndonyo Secondary School in Kisii, Salat Adow Alim of Rhamu Day Secondary School in Mandera and Rosebella Munzala of St. Joseph’s Girls’ High School in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County.

Head-teachers crowned for posting most-improved results in 2020 KCPE are Gertrude Jerotich of Nandi Hills Primary School, Edward Fondo Gona of Mnamwenga Primary School in Kilifi County, Julius Munguti Nzioka of Kwa Mulungu Primary School in Kitui, Abdikadir Isaack Sheik of Banisa Primary School in Mandera, Welly Hassan of Elan Primary School in Garissa and Abdi Abey Abdullahi of Malaba Primary School in Wajir.

School heads in charge of best-performing special needs institutions were also recognised by TSC. They are Catherine Karanga of the Thika High School for the Visually Impaired in Kiambu County, Aggrey Warialo of Nalondo Primary School for the Disabled, Asli Muhamed Abdi of Wajir Special Needs School and Margaret Njuguna of the Thika Primary School for the Visually Impaired.

School heads, whose learners topped the 2020 primary and secondary tests, were also feted. They are Kuria Willie Mwangi (Murang’a High School), Florah Mulatya (Kenya High School, Nairobi County), Lydia Nelima Namisi (Nzoia Sugar Primary School, Bungoma County) and Mathew Masaku Wambua (Kari Mwailu Primary School in Makueni County).

Kenyan teachers who won continental awards were also recognised by Macharia.

They are Peter Tabichi, the winner of the 2019 Global Teacher Prize and a teacher at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani, Nakuru County; Othaya Girls’ Secondary Principal, Jane Kamiti, who won the 2020 African Union Continental Teacher of the Year award, and Eric Otieno Ademba of Asumbi Girls’ High School in Homa Bay County. Ademba won the 2019 African Union Continental Teacher of the Year award.

In her remarks, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia also paid tribute to 90 teachers, who succumbed to Covid-19 in 2020.

“Allow me to celebrate posthumously our 90 heroes and heroines who succumbed to Covid-19 over the last year, some of them in the middle of their tireless efforts to ensure learning in our schools was back on track,” said Macharia.