School won fame for giving girls a chance

Lena Moi, the wife of Kenya’s second President, kept a very low public profile.

But she possessed a quiet strength … and was one of the most famous women who went to the mission school in Tenwek, famous for being among the first to protect girls.

Women of Mrs Moi’s age did not usually bother to attend school and were instead relegated to looking after goats or fetching the firewood.

But thanks to the American World Mission Gospel Church which settled at Tenwek Hill in 1935 a safe haven was created for young African women fleeing circumcision.

Tenwek and Longisa, separated by 15 kilometres and on different hills in Bomet County are historic sites that will enhance the county’s cultural heritage.

“It began as an institution where a few girls were brought to protect them from circumcision,” said Mr Richard Cheruiyot, the school’s principal.

Girls were boarders as early as 1936, while boys were taken in as day scholars after World War Two. The present secondary school was founded in 1961 by Dr Eva Gilger, a missionary from the US.

“I remember her as a good teacher, administrator and an inspiring educator, as she used to tell us we were destined to become great men in the country,” recalled John Koech who went on to serve in former President Moi’s Cabinet.

Mr Koech’s fond memories of Dr Gilger’s prediction were later to be proved right with alumnae who included Cabinet minister Franklin Bett, former Egerton University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ezra Maritim, Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto, Forestry assistant minister Richard Nanok, KNUT chairman Wilson Sosion, Dr Florentius Koech, a noted neurosurgeon.

Sironga, one of the best performing schools in the county with the highest number of streams registered 216 candidates for KSCE last year and the number has gone up to 252 this year.

It began in 1953 as an intermediate primary school, owned by the African Gospel Church, and the secondary school came in 1968 founded by Samuel Cheruiyot who is now the board chairman.

“Our strength is in the discipline that we have instilled in our students,” said Mr Richard Sang, the principal. The school boasts of its good performance and is known for its basketball, handball and Scouting.

“In the next three years, we want to be one of the top schools at the national level in examination results,” said Mr Sang. Sitting on 20 acres, the school has almost no room to expand, which the new county government will have to address.

Two girls’ schools – Moi Siongiroi and Kaplong – are the new kids on the block in Bomet. And they have confounded many.

Kaplong Girls topped the county in last year’s national examination results followed by Moi Siongiroi. “We have a strong Catholic background, which is our strength,” said Kaplong principal Clara Mitei.