Maranda Boys High School headteacher, Edwin Namachanja, has won the Principal of the Year Award (POYA) for the Nyanza region.
Mr Namachanja beat five other contenders to emerge tops and proceed to the nationals to be held in Mombasa in June this year.
“This is an exercise that helps us understand that we must work in conformity with the set standards and support the government in delivering its core mandate,” he said.
He explained that the panel interviewing competitors looked at the values they had instilled in respective schools and the activities being undertaken in their institutions to help improve academic performance.
Dr Jane Odhiambo of St Linus Okok Girls High School in Homa Bay County emerged, second while Ezekiel Okeyo, the Principal of Bishop Mugendi Nyakegogi Mixed School in Kisii took position three.
Dr Odhiambo said she has nurtured several girls. Together with the support of the community and other education stakeholders, the principal has managed to form the ‘Inua Wasichana Kitty,’ which aims at helping needy students raise school fees.
“Families should not hide the poor, but bring them out and allow society to adopt them,” advised Dr Odhiambo.
In her presentation before the panel, the history and government teacher said her greatest achievements have been in the provision of water to the school and increased enrollment from 462 students in 2015, to the current population of 1,026.
Mr Okeyo said the drilling of a borehole and construction of a four-storey building in the sub-county school was proof of the management’s accomplishments.
“We have increased enrollment and improved in guidance and counselling. Support from the surrounding community has been enormous,” he said.
The POYA event took place at Kisii High School. The presentation panel was chaired by Nyanza Regional Education Director Richard Chepkawai.
