Will Starehe boys make comeback?

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

When Education minister Sam Ongeri released the 2010 KCSE results last year, the big question by many was 'what happened to Starehe Boys' Centre?'

The top performer had failed to make it to the top ten nationally dropping from the second position in 2009 to 11, with performance index of 10.37.

The school was even beaten by its younger sister, Starehe Girls’ Centre, which looked up to the boys’ school as a mentor, emerging nine nationally with performance index of 10.38.

And last year, for two consecutive years, its academic rival, the Alliance High School emerged the best nationally with performance index of 11.26.

Alliance wiped out competitors taking 29 of 100 top candidates nationally in 2010 results. Starehe Boys’ had only one candidate in the top 10 list, Alliance had four while Mang’u High, which produced the best candidate, had three in the top 100.

Consequently, as others celebrated improved results, Starehe Boys’ Centre were not as happy. The school attributed the poor performance to a weak class and lapses on discipline among students.

No mean achievement

But the question doing rounds in most Kenyans’ minds is whether they will be treated to the good old days of the boys in blue short and red shirt beaming with joy on TV.

School principal Paul Mugo yesterday said he was optimistic the boys have done well this time round.

"We are hoping that we have done better. We may not emerge tops but what we are certain about is that we have improved for the better," he said.

In an earlier interview with Education, Mr Mugo conceded that the marked decline in the school’s overall performance was shocking.

"Make no mistakes, the school will be right back in 2011 results. The school will strive for performance index of over 11," he said. "Last year’s candidates were disciplined. We had no incidences that interrupted our preparation. We are optimistic they will perform better than previous class."

His Alliance Boys’ High counterpart David Kariuki, said the school’s target is a mean of 11.3. However, he quickly added that the huge enrolment of candidates last year may affect the quality of grades.

Farmer’s expectations

"We expect to see few As because of the huge enrolment last year. But we are still hopeful. We can’t go to the farm and don’t expect good results," he said.

Some 413,177 candidates sat last year’s exam, an increase from 357,789 of 2010.

Other schools that Kenyans will be keenly looking at are Maseno School, Precious Blood Riruta, Bahati Girls (Nakuru), Maranda High in Siaya, Alliance Girls’ High, Moi High - Kabarak, and Moi Girls’ School - Eldoret. Others are Kanga High and Rapogi in Migori, and Asumbi in Homa Bay. These schools were among those ranked top nationally last year.

But by yesterday, Education had learnt top ministry officials were divided over whether schools should be ranked.

The school ranking has been under attack from various stakeholders for encouraging in unhealthy competition.