Little-Known Mixed School Shines in Embu KCSE Rankings

St. Thomas Aquinas Igumori Secondary School erupted in celebrations after recording an impressive mean score of 7.6083, making it the second-best school in the area, narrowly behind Joseph Alamano Wachoro Secondary School, which posted 7.6087.

Collins Nyaga led the school with an A- (76 points), followed closely by Peter Mugendi, who earned a B+. The school also broke its own record by producing 105 candidates with C+ and above, all qualifying for university admission.

Speaking after the release of the results, Principal Patrick Mwaniki said the performance reflected a major improvement from last year’s mean grade of 6.5. He attributed the success to teamwork between teachers and learners, discipline, and early completion of the syllabus, which gives candidates enough time for revision.

St. Thomas Aquinas Igumori Secondary School Principal Paul Mwaniki congratulating Collins Kinyua who emerged position one in the school's KCSE examinations. MWINGI TIMES |Brian Musyoka

“Our strategy has always been to finish the syllabus early so that students can have sufficient time to revise. That has paid off,” he said.

For Collins Nyaga, the results mark the beginning of a long-held dream of becoming a medical doctor. His journey, however, was far from smooth.

After completing primary school, Collins was admitted to Nyangwa Boys High School, but was forced to drop out when his parents could not raise school fees.

He later transferred to Igumori Secondary School in Form Three as a day scholar, a move made possible by his grandfather.

“I struggled a lot as a day scholar because household chores limited my study time,” Collins recalled.

His dedication and strong academic performance caught the attention of the school’s Board of Management, which later supported him to become a boarder,  a move he says changed everything.

“I am grateful to the school for believing in me and giving me the support I needed to focus on my studies,” he said.

The remarkable results have placed Igumori Secondary School on the academic map of Embu County, proving that even modest, rural schools can rise to national standards through determination and teamwork.