St. Gabriel Mirere Secondary School in Matungu held a colourful dedication ceremony for its 2025 candidates at St. Gabriel Mirere Catholic Church over the weekend.
The event was attended by the school’s Board of Management (BOM) officials, teachers, and candidates.
A total of 164 candidates were dedicated to God by Father John Bosco of Ejinja Catholic Church.
The BOM Chairperson, Wakili Geoffrey Okara—a distinguished lawyer and alumnus of the school—urged the class of 2025, christened The Flagbearers, to give their best and excel in the forthcoming examinations.
“I have personally done my best, and the teachers have supported and shaped you for the exams. You have no reason not to shine,” he said.
He further encouraged parents to invest in their children’s education, noting that they hold the power to transform their families’ future.
“It is unfortunate that parents of the outgoing class owe the school over one million shillings, yet this is a day school. School programs cannot run if parents do not support them,” said Wakili Okara.
Okara, now serving his second and final term as BOM chair, challenged the candidates to use every opportunity to build their future.
“I want to see many of you become engineers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers so that you can come back and make a difference here,” he added.
He also pledged to support the candidates during the examination period.
“During your exams, I will take care of your bread and other essentials. I have already bought rubber shoes for the celebrations, and I expect you not to let me down.”
He concluded by donating Ksh 78,000 towards the candidates’ lunch program.
The school principal, Mrs. Mildred Shileche, thanked the candidates for appreciating their teachers, especially their class teachers, in a special way.
She expressed optimism that the school would post its best results in history.
“We will continue pushing hard during this homestretch so that you not only earn a grade but a quality grade,” said Mrs. Shileche.
She urged students to remain disciplined during the examination period.
“We do not want any issues during the exams. Stay focused on excellence. Our target is a mean score of 5.00 (C–), and we believe we can achieve it.”
Mrs. Shileche noted that when she joined the school earlier this year, all 164 candidates had already been registered for exams. However, she expressed concern over the low number of boys—only 62 out of 164 candidates—saying the boy child needed renewed attention in the area.
She also cited poor fee payment as the school’s biggest challenge.
“Parents in this area have a poor culture of paying school fees. This has made the school struggle to run its programs. We appeal to stakeholders to encourage parents to change this attitude next year,” she said.
The principal asked teachers to release the candidates with goodwill and forgiveness.
“I know there may have been misunderstandings, but we now release you with blessings to go and shine,” she told the candidates.
She also commended Wakili Okara for his continued support and development initiatives.
“Wakili has transformed the school by installing terrazzo floors, repainting classrooms, and actively engaging in every improvement effort,” she said.
The school’s Director of Studies, Mr. Patrick Oduor, thanked Wakili Okara for his consistent support and acknowledged the principal’s leadership.
“We have prepared our candidates well and are confident of excellent results. The principal has provided strong guidance, and our students have had more sessions with examiners than ever before,” he said.
He urged the candidates to remain disciplined, follow instructions, and stay focused. Quoting 1 Corinthians 15:58, he reminded them to “stand firm in their work, for the Lord will reward them.”
The Form Four Coordinator, Mr. Geoffrey Wanjala, expressed confidence in the candidates’ preparation and predicted outstanding results.
The head student thanked the teachers and the principal for their dedication and support throughout the journey.
“The journey has been long, but we appreciate our teachers and promise not to let you down,” he said.
Long live St. Gabriel Mirere Secondary School.
