How schools can use their history to inspire students 

The writer Victor Ochieng' at Chewoyet Boys. He rolls out talks and training services. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232

In March 2022, I addressed three important groups at Chewoyet Boys’ National School in Kapenguria Town, West Pokot County. Foremost, I talked to Form Twos on matters career choices and selection of subjects. Secondly, I sensitised Form Four parents to play their part in supporting their children’s education. Thirdly, I rolled out Form One plug-in programme, where I implored the newbies to begin, learn and win.

Chewoyet Boys’ National School is the alma mater of some famous figures in our country. It moulded men of means such as Kijana Wamalwa, Eugene Wamalwa and Dr Belio Kipsang’. The Chief Principal of that great school at that point in time was Samuel Barasa, who is now at Naitiri Boys’ High School in Bungoma.

In my close interaction with him, I realised that he is keen to use the great history to inspire students to become great. As he polished the pale parts of the school to give it the shine and sheen of national status, he did not hesitate to dote on wise words of William Shakespeare splashed in act II Scene 5 of The Twelfth Night, “Be not afraid of greatness. For some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”

In my speeches, when I mentioned men of great weight that learnt in that school, I saw a glow of glee on the faces of the curious students, dedicated parents and devoted teachers. As psychologists would argue in what they call ‘identity’, most of us always want to be associated with greatness. That quest for recognition, the desire to lead the parade, is what Martin Luther King (MLK) termed as The Drum Major Instinct – phenomenal speech available on YouTube. Moreover, most of us forge friendship and association with greatness. It is what prompted John Fitzgerald (JF) Kennedy to say: “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.”

Therefore, it is clear like crystal, schools can use their history to change attitudes of students towards their schools. There is no way a school can churn out men of great weight in the recent and distant past but fail to do so in the present and future. No wonder, Form Ones should go through a comprehensive plug-in programme. Schools should find ample ways to achieve this purpose. It can be done through well-thought-out pep talks and training programmes.

Then, the school library should stock information about great alumni of the school. Just the way we have statues of our legends in major towns like Nairobi, we should erect some of these monuments in our schools, which act as the core centres of formation, character-development and value-addition.

For instance, when we see the astronomical monument of Tom Mboya in the heart of Nairobi, we remember the values and principles once treasured by that silver-tongued or spell-binding orator of all time. Likewise, the statue of Dedan Kimathi in the heart of the trendiest town inspires in people virtues of courage, heroism, bravery and bravado.

Consequently, schools like Alliance High Schools (AHS) have buildings that immortalise great educationists such as Carrey Francis. That of course can compel students to find out more about that gentle giant and follow the philosophy and principles he upheld in his heydays.

Again, a great girls’ school like Ng’iya Girls’ National School in Siaya can use their alumna like Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot (Nyar Asembo) to make the good girls love their school. In a larger sense, they should find wonderful ways on which they can make the gutsy girls that join the school to ape Nyar Asembo, who achieved great feats in life before she went to meet her maker in the distant land where no traveler returns. Being the first Anglophone female writer and a prolific author in Kenya, the school should build a big library in her honour. It is wise to make all her books available for those bright belles to read ravenously. There is no way the good girls can read about the wise works of this winsome woman, and settle for less in life.

Somehow, schools must settle on stupendous strategies that can arouse sense of ownership and belonging in students. When students accept their schools, they will perform better, become brighter and saunter smarter. They will hardly fan flames of fire, and raze down buildings. It is why in my peregrinations across the country, I always inform students that for them to access success, it behooves them to wear what Napoleon Hill calls ‘Positive Mental Attitude’ (PMA).

Finally, learning is not only acquisition of requisite knowledge and skills, but also change of behaviour and attitude. Zig Ziglar observed, “It is your attitude, not aptitude that determines your altitude.” Attitude is equal to mindset plus beliefs. Aptitude is the natural ability to do things. In the lingo and language of Geography, altitude is the height above the sea level. However, in the context of this text, it is the height people can attain in a specific sphere.

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By Victor Ochieng’

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