Old School: Where Orie Rogo Manduli, Grace Ogot, Justice Aluoch were 'Nyang’iya'

Ng'iya Girls High school alumni, Orie and Joyce Oluoch Photo: Courtesy

Ng’iya Girls High School was founded in 1923 by the Christian Missionary Society as a primary school in Siaya County.

In 1953, it became St John’s Teacher Training College founded by A.J. Mayor before being turned into Ng’iya Secondary offering science and arts subjects in 1965 until 1989 when ‘A’-level was phased out.

 Today, Ng’iya High School, where students rode the “Jaguar” school bus and sits on 46 acres, is the oldest girls’ school in Nyanza. It was upgraded to a national school in 2013.

Ng’iya in Luo means “stare at me” — It is here that younger alumni felt the skirts were designed saggy to hide their manifest hips and thus shield them from stares as they chanted “build on the rock.” 

Notable alumni include celebrated author and former Assistant Minister and Gem MP the late Grace Ogot who  converted to the Anglican Church in the school where she later taught.

The no-nonsense, former model and rally driver Ambassador Orie Rogo Manduli attended Ng’iya Girls before proceeding to Butere Girls High for ‘A’ levels.

ICC judge, Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch attended Class Five to eight here when the school was nicknamed “Got Kerongo” because it was perched on a small hill. Former Gender PS Prof Jacqueline Oduor was also molded at Ng’iya Girls.

Others who wore blue skirts, red pullovers and white blouses were Mother-in-Law actress Sarah Masese (Alice), Journalist and musician Diana Omondi (of Ndalo biro song) and Dr Doreen Orawo, lecturer, University of Eldoret.

Others who enjoyed rice and beans but dreaded cleaning toilets for punishment include Millicent Apondi Todd, Executive Vice President Sales at Jeff Hamilton (K) Ltd, Eva Atieno, Management Consultant at Federation of Kenya Employers, Eva Odhiambo, Principal Ogande Girls and Christine Omollo, a Geospatial Engineer at Kenya Power.