Performance Grade Improve After Changing School Name.
Nyakemincha Primary School in Nyamira, Kisii County, made headlines in 2011 when it fell in last place in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam.
The same thing had happened the year before. People began to wonder if the school’s name had something to do with the students’ poor performance almost immediately.
Nyakemincha means tail in Ekegusi. However, this isn’t the only school with a naming dilemma. Ebuchinga Primary and Secondary School in Kakamega County is having a similar problem.
Kenneth Barasa, the headteacher, was first concerned about the name when he was assigned to this school in 2018. He was curious as to why the school had been given that name.
The name sent the wrong message to him and many others. Ebuchinga is a Batsotso sub-tribe term that implies foolishness.
People have misunderstood the meaning of the word, he claims, and have incorrectly connected it with bad academic achievement.
He added, “My school has been on an upward trend since I came here. In 2018, we had a mean score of 231. We improved to 241 in 2019 before registering 250 in 2020.”
Names are powerful tools for describing and/or allowing others to make assumptions and judgments.
Parents couldn’t hide their displeasure with the name, which they claimed cast the school in a negative light. Some maintained that it was most likely the cause of low performance.
According to legend, one of Mununi’s sons, Alubia, challenged the Abangonya clan to combat and ultimately drove them away.
“Oli omuchinga busiro (you have lifted the heavy load),” Alubia’s younger brother Mareba who witnessed the fight told him in admiration.
According to Mr. Jason Andika Matanji, 77, Alubia’s brother meant that the warrior had accomplished a unique achievement by driving away from the Abangonya, who had been tormenting them for a long time.
Ironically, great wrestlers were lauded for their physical prowess rather than their ability to tackle opponents.
To show their mettle, they would frequently seize their opponents and smash them to the ground.
Following the victory, the area became known as Ebuchinga, a popular wrestling venue. The locals had no idea that it would become a source of contention in the future.
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Education officials changed the name to Mwangaza due to concerns about performance (Swahili for light). The elders, on the other hand, demand the original name.
The day school had only 180 students, despite the fact that it was founded 23 years ago.
