Athletics powerhouse to honour long-serving teacher

The Late Norman F Thomson will on Saturday be honoured by St Patricks High School Iten. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

When Norman F Thomson started teaching biology at St Patrick’s High School, Iten, in 1973, he changed the way the subject was taught.  

He integrated both a practical and theoretical approach to teaching - a foreign concept at the time. The trend he set 41 years ago continues to be applied at the school to date.

Dr Thomson, who died in November last year after battling skin cancer for 18 years, is one of the leading educators respected for exemplary performance in academics and sports. He will be remembered for pioneering a winning attitude at St Patrick’s both at O’ and A’ levels.

Thanks to him, the school is recognised for its good performance in biology. For this reason, the school will host a memorial in his honour on Saturday, July 12.

John Mosonik, who chairs the school’s board of governors, Christopher Kiptoo, Elgeyo/Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Marakwet West MP Kisang William Kipkemoi will attend the event. 

Thomson’s approach to biology included the dissecting of mice and frogs, and his eight years of dedication to the school saw him become the chief examiner of theoretical biology at the school, examiner of practical biology at O’ level, editor of school science projects and the secondary O’ level biology syllabus.

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Basketball coach

He also worked for the Kenya National Examinations Council and served on the Biology Panel at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

With Thomson’s help and contacts, many students at St Patrick’s who excelled in athletics received scholarships from universities and colleges in the United States.

The 1970s athletics powerhouse will honour Thomson’s memory by mounting a commemorative plaque on the school’s basketball court.

Thomson was the school’s basketball coach and led the school to win the coveted Kenya Secondary School’s national title in 1978.

 “The biology laboratory will be renamed in his honour. In the eight years that Dr Thomson taught at St Patrick’s High School, he dedicated quite an amount of time building the lab’s reading material. The material in the lab and still in use to date includes different snake and butterfly specimens and different bones from different animals including the elephant,” the school’s principal, Wilson Yego, said.

In partnership with the Thomson’s wife, Rose Chepyator, and his sons, the school has established the Norman F Thomson Scholarship Fund to celebrate his achievement in biology.

The scholarship, which will be given to the best performing students in biology, is meant to continue the tradition of excellence that Thomson started.

“Those who passed through his hands will forever remember him,” said Mr Yego.