Nduru Boys High: Where Omingo Magara washed cows as punishment

Nduru Boys High School was founded in 1968 as a harambee secondary school in Gucha South, Kisii County. It started as a single stream school running up to Form 4 but later expanded up to Form 6 offering Arts and Agriculture in 1978  before they were phased out.

In 2006 during the reign of senior principal Samuel Oyondi, a third stream was registered  and 12 years later, it became a five stream school, namely East, West, North , South and Meridian. The school has 10 dormitories namely Everest, Manga, Ruwenzori, Otenyo, Alpine, Mt. Kenya, Longonot, Olive, Nzaria, Sakawa.

The sister school was Nduru Girls, but this created rivalry with Riokindo Boys.  Agoro Sare were their great rivals in rugby, which was the most popular sports discipline at the school. For about 10 years, the school was among those categorised as sleeping giants in the region, in terms of both academics and sports.However, things have been looking up in recent years.

 Nyamira’s first governor, the late John Nyagarama taught at the school from 1975 to 1976.  He is said to have been a lethal disciplinarian earning himself the nickname, Phantom. Celebrated teachers include Anne Obare, who taught music. She ensured the school made it to the national festivals every year where it excelled in folk and instrumentals.

Omollo Crisphine, the games master, was unmatched when it came to football, basketball, handball, table tennis, volleyball and hockey. He took over when the school was a soccer powerhouse. In 1984, it won the final by beating champions Green Commandos of Kakamega Boys. Favourite teachers include Susan Kenyanya, whom students admired for her zeal to ensure their welfare was taken care of while Abuya Dennis, a senior teacher, and Gordon Agolla, a boarding master, have soft landing for most students.

 When Lawrence Nyakweba was the chief principal between 2014 and 2017, students started to excel in drama and music, making other schools in the region envious. John Juma Masime is the current chief principal of an extra-county school, which has a population of 950 students with Solomon Okello as his deputy. The most dreaded punishment was to wash the school’s cows when found in the kitchen.

In addition, cleaning the laboratories and walking path when found loitering around the area when not going for practical purposes by John Maiko, the senior science teacher sciences, were other worst punishments. Favourite food remained to be Ugali served with beef by Masese, referred to by many as mzee.

Notable alumni who remember the school motto, “Strive for Excellence”, include Robert Monda, former Nyaribari Chache MP, Omingo Magara, former South Mugirango MP and assistant minister and Ezekiel Machogu, the  Nyaribari Masaba MP.

Others who wore dark gray trousers, white shirts, and maroon sweaters as uniform include Prof Isaac Kibwage,  Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Nairobi and Elijah Onsika, a sportsman.