There is something special about S.A Kolanya Girls National School.
Tucked away in the calm and peaceful surroundings of Kolanya Centre, the school may not have the noise and bustle associated with major urban centres, but inside its gates, something remarkable is happening.
Girls are learning to believe in themselves. Teachers are pushing harder. Parents are becoming more confident in the school. And, slowly but surely, Kolanya Girls is earning its place among the finest schools in Western Kenya.
Much of this transformation is being associated with the leadership of Chief Principal Dr. Tabitha Okama, whose tenure has brought a renewed sense of direction, discipline and ambition to the school.
Her approach is simple: identify what needs to be done, bring everyone on board and work consistently towards the desired results.
And the results are beginning to show.
Last year, Kolanya Girls was ranked among the top girls’ schools in the Western region, recording an impressive mean score of 8.27.
This year, the school is dreaming even bigger.
Its target is a remarkable mean score of 9.62, with all the school’s 375 candidates expected to score C+ and above, giving them an opportunity to proceed to university.
For Dr. Okama, however, the numbers tell only part of the story.
Behind every mark is a girl who has worked hard, a teacher who has sacrificed time, a parent who has provided support and a school community that has refused to give up on its dream.
“We are proud of the progress we have made over the years, but we are not stopping here. Our goal is to keep aiming high until we achieve even greater results,” Dr. Okama says.
It starts early
At Kolanya Girls, success begins long before the examination season.
One of Dr. Okama’s key strategies has been ensuring that learners have enough time to understand, revise and practise what they have been taught.
This year, the school completed the syllabus in March — much earlier than its usual May completion timeline.
The extra time was immediately turned into an intensive revision period.
The girls have since been exposed to numerous internal and external examinations, Random Tests (RATs), Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs), symposiums and a wide range of examination content.
The objective is not simply to make learners sit for many examinations, but to make them comfortable with the examination environment and identify areas that require improvement.
“In many cases, we usually finish the syllabus in May, but 2026 is a special year. We finished the syllabus in March and embarked on very intensive revision,” Dr. Okama explains.
Teaching the girls to believe in themselves
Perhaps what makes the Kolanya story even more touching is the emphasis placed on the girls themselves.
The school understands that a good grade begins with a confident learner.
Through continuous mentorship, the girls are encouraged to believe that they are capable of competing with the very best.
“We have serious mentorship of our girls, and their self-esteem is very high. They always believe that they are the best,” says Dr. Okama.
That confidence is supported by a strong culture of discipline.
At Kolanya, learners are expected to take responsibility for their studies and conduct, while teachers are encouraged to give their best.
The school also benefits from what Dr. Okama describes as the high entry behaviour of its students, giving the institution a strong foundation upon which to build.
Parents and community have joined the journey
No school can succeed alone.
At Kolanya Girls, parents have increasingly become partners in the school’s journey.
Dr. Okama says the confidence parents have developed in the institution has made it easier to implement programmes aimed at improving the girls’ academic performance and overall welfare.
The wider community has also played its part.
The support of the community, led by area MP Hon. Peter Kaunya, has given the school an additional boost as it seeks to improve both academic outcomes and infrastructure.
It is this partnership between the school, parents and community that Dr. Okama believes is helping Kolanya move forward.
A school growing faster than its facilities
Success, however, has brought its own challenges.
As Kolanya Girls continues to attract attention and its ambitions grow, pressure on existing infrastructure has become increasingly evident.
Laboratories, dormitories and other facilities are experiencing congestion.
But even here, there is hope.
The ongoing construction of a modern complex block ( Hon. Dr. Oku Kaunya Complex) which is expected to ease some of the pressure. The facility will accommodate administration offices, a laboratory and other offices, giving the school additional space to serve its growing needs.
Hon Dr. Oku Kaunya Complex will have:
- Computer lab 100 seater capacity.
- Home science Lab 60 capacity.
- 14 classrooms and administrative offices staff room
For Dr. Okama and her team, the infrastructure challenge is not a reason to slow down.
It is simply another hurdle to overcome.
A dream bigger than grades
The story of Kolanya Girls is ultimately not just about a mean score.
It is about girls discovering their potential.
It is about teachers who believe their work can change lives.
It is about parents who entrust their daughters to the school and believe in its vision.
And it is about leadership that understands that excellence does not happen overnight.
Under Dr. Tabitha Okama, Kolanya Girls has developed a culture of hard work, discipline, early preparation, mentorship and self-belief.
The school is proving that a quiet location does not have to mean quiet ambitions.
From Kolanya Centre, a new academic force is steadily emerging.
And as the 375 candidates prepare to sit their final examinations, the entire Kolanya community is hoping that their hard work will translate into yet another outstanding performance.
Kolanya Girls is rising — not through noise, but through results, determination and a leadership that believes every girl can be exceptional.
