Acting helped principal to become a better teacher

By Michael Oriedo

Television viewers know her as an overbearing mother who goes to great lengths to influence her children’s decisions on important matters like marriage.

But her pupils and their parents know her as a caring principal who teaches English and religious education.

For over two decades, Ruth Ringos, the head teacher of Komarock Primary School, has literally lived the saying a good teacher must be an actor.

She has acted in several drama series aired on different television stations. The latest being a show that addresses how tribe affects choice of a partner in marriage.

"I love acting. Teaching goes hand in hand with acting. A teacher always acts," says Ringos.

She started acting as a student at Our Lady of Mercy, Shauri Moyo Primary School. Ringos went to Ngara Girls High School where she honed her acting skills in the drama club. Her interest in drama grew while she was studying at Meru Teachers Training College.

"Every year, we would scoop top awards at the national drama festival," she says.

But her big break came in 1990 when she landed a role in Eagle, a drama series that aired on KBC. That success was followed by a role in Tausi, a popular drama that aired on the same station in mid-1990s. "I got the role of a controlling mother," she recalls.

Her convincing portrayal of the character catapulted her into the limelight. While some viewers loved her, others thought she was overbearing and merciless.

Ringos balances between two careers — acting and teaching. "Acting is very demanding. Sometimes it takes more than a day to shoot a scene. I have a considerate producer who allows me to record my parts over the weekend. I dedicate the holidays to acting."

Acting taught her discipline and commitment to work, virtues she instils in her pupils. "You cannot succeed in acting without commitment and dedication," says the mother of three children.