Tambach’s goals for success steer it to victory

Elgeyo Marakwet, Kenya: Guided by its motto, Educo curo future (education cares for the future), Tambach High School in Elgeyo Marakwet has lived up to its dreams of providing quality education.

The institution prides itself in having strong alumni such as Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, Commission on Revenue Allocation chairman Micah Cheserem, former minister Nicholas Biwott, former Kenya Army General Lazarus Sumbeiywo and marathon world record holder Wilson Kipsang. 

Retired President Moi was a tutor and deputy principal in the teacher training college section for four years – from 1952 – before joining politics.

Established in 1932 as Government African School, Tambach provided education for pupils from the local community from Standard One to Four. However, the local pupils were taught separately from children from colonial families; the Iten-Kabarnet Road separated the local students’ quarters on the western side and the whites on the eastern part, according to the school records.

The institution became a secondary school by 1964.

Now an extra-county school, Tambach has 841 boys — admitted in four streams in Forms Two to Four and five streams in Form One. It gets 70 per cent of its students from the county and 30 per cent from other counties

A modern tuition complex whose construction was fully supported by Moi has distinguished the school and created room for more students.

“We are strategically positioned in a region well connected by road, with good sources of clean water and a scenic environment conducive for learning,” says school principal Thomas Ng’etich.

Mr Ng’etich says the board of management, teachers, students and parents work as a team to further boost the school’s performance in national examinations.

The school has recorded an improved performance in national examinations. Last year, it recorded a mean grade of 7.5754 in the 2013 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results. Some 180 candidates were registered.

Strategies for success include devolving the school library.

“Each class has its own library equipped with course books, revision books and other learning materials including audio facilities,” says Ng’etich. 

The student to text book ratio is currently at 1:2 but the institution is working to have the ratio at 1:1.

Teachers and students set performance targets at the beginning of the year and these are regularly monitored.

The syllabus is covered early to enable students have enough time for revision as well as workshops and symposiums for teachers and motivational talks for students.

Awards are given to top students after every exam to motivate them.