Top principal awarded Sh100,000

Mr Samuel Gitonga Maina from Utumishi Academy in Nakuru County is this year’s Principal of the Year.

The award is for the most outstanding principal following a raft of interviews, starting at school level.

Mr Maina beat four other principals to win the coveted crown at the just concluded 39th annual conference for Kenya Secondary School Heads Association at Wild Waters Centre, Mombasa.

Speaking to The Standard on Saturday, the elated teacher attributed his success to team work, effective strategies and planning. He scored 120.66 marks of the possible 135 to beat all contestants and take home a trophy and cash prize of Sh100,000.

Samuel said his school, which is sponsored by the Kenya Police, has 1,021 students with five streams. He said his performance gave him a mileage over his competitors adding what he presented during the competition was what the school had implemented.

But some principals said Cosmas Simiyu of St Joseph Kitale had performed better and faulted the adjudicating bench led by Ministry of Education Quality Assurance Director Mohamed Mwinyipembe.Mr Simiyu scored 113.32 only seven points shy. During his presentation, he listed a raft of academic and co curricular successes.Maina said he is currently pursuing a PhD.

He said he had cultivated a culture of determination and hard work among the students and teachers to ensure good results. He added that a good working relationship between students and teachers and parents was key in education. “I am honoured to be awarded as principal of the year. I can say that our hard work and cooperation has paid off,” he said.

He said the school has established a conducive environment for students and teachers to communicate freely and as a result they are able to work effectively. Maina said he intends to complete the construction of three laboratories, start a bakery in school and review their 2011 – 2015 Plan to attain a minimum of 10.6 mean score come the next exams.