There was something symbolic about the moment Boaz Adit walked into Kabarnet Boys High School and was handed the keys to the institution.

For the students gathered to welcome their new principal, it was simply a change of leadership.

For Adit, it was the beginning of another assignment—and perhaps one of the biggest challenges of his 17-year career in education.

Kabarnet Boys is a school with a proud history. It has produced generations of students and, at its peak, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the country’s best boys’ schools.

But the school has not enjoyed the same shine in recent years.

Now, the man expected to help turn that story around is a principal who has spent much of his career doing exactly what schools often need most: building people, restoring confidence and creating a culture where everyone believes they can do better.

At a colourful handover ceremony attended by about 1,500 students, teachers, TSC officials and members of the Board of Management led by Chairman Lawrence Kibet, Adit officially took charge.

He did not arrive with promises of miracles.

Instead, he spoke about the basics—teamwork, discipline, effective teaching and working together.

His academic target, however, is anything but modest: a KCSE mean score of 9.7 in 2026, up from the school’s current 6.83.

THE RUGBY STORY THAT MADE HIS NAME

If there is one place where Adit’s leadership style can be clearly seen, it is Koyonzo Boys High School in Kakamega County. 

Adit is a passionate sportsman, but to him, sport has always been more than trophies and medals.

At Koyonzo, he helped nurture a rugby culture that eventually saw the school rise to become an East and Central Africa champion.

The Koyonzo boys became a formidable force on the rugby pitch, while some talented players progressed to higher levels, including the Kenya U20 Chipu pathway.

Behind the success was plenty of hard work.

Training started early. Discipline mattered. Time had to be respected.

And Adit constantly reminded learners that being good on the rugby pitch was not an excuse for performing poorly in class.

His message was simple: a disciplined player should also be a disciplined student.

That philosophy helped make Koyonzo’s rugby story bigger than the game itself.

It became part of the school’s identity.

THE PRINCIPAL WHO BELIEVES IN PEOPLE

Before Kabarnet, Adit served in other schools, including Ambira and Otieno Oyoo High School in Kisumu.

At Otieno Oyoo, he encountered a school that needed renewed confidence.

Rather than trying to carry the burden alone, he brought teachers, parents and students into the conversation.

He pushed teamwork and accountability while encouraging teachers and learners to believe in the institution again.

That is perhaps what defines Adit as an administrator.

He understands that a school is not its buildings.

Teachers must feel valued. Students must feel guided. Parents must feel involved. And everyone must understand where the institution is going.

WHY KABARNET MATTERS

Kabarnet Boys is now his biggest assignment.

The school has the history. It has the students. It has teachers with experience.

What it needs is a renewed sense of direction and belief.

That is where Adit’s experience could become important.

His challenge will be to bring together the different pieces—academic work, discipline, sports, parental support and student welfare—and make them work towards one goal.

He knows, however, that transformation will not happen overnight.

The 9.7 target is ambitious, but the new principal appears ready for the hard work behind the number.

FROM RUGBY PITCHES TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE

For a man who has spent years around school sports, Adit knows something about winning.

But his greatest test at Kabarnet will not be won on a rugby pitch.

It will be won in classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, playing fields and staffrooms.

It will be measured in improved grades, better discipline, confident students and teachers working with a common purpose.

That is the task awaiting him.

And as he begins his journey at Kabarnet Boys, one thing is clear: Boaz Adit has been handed more than the keys to a school. He has been handed the responsibility of helping an old giant find its feet again.

The journey has  just begun.