Butula MP Alfred Odhiambo addressing pupils and students at Bukhalarie during the Butula Education Day[PHOTO|Frankline Bwire|WestFm] 

Butula legislator Alfred Odhiambo has called on parents and other education stakeholders to work together in a bid to promote girl child education in the area.

He said there was need for them to team up in ensuring girls compete favorably with boys to improve education standards and to register excellent results in academics.

Speaking at Bukhalarire Secondary School during the Education Day for Butula District, Odhiambo challenged principals of various Girls’ Schools to add more effort in their work to achieve better results, remarks that were echoed by the Busia County Director of Education.

Odhiambo revealed that he was impressed by the Districts’ performance in last year’s (2011) national Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination following the strong competition from various schools.

“Some of the leading schools have been overtaken by their neighboring schools in performance, an indication of great competition which is healthy for the registration of good results,” said the MP.

Present was the acting Director Quality Assurance and Standards Mohammed Mwijuma who represented the acting Permanent Secretary of Education George Godia. He implored teachers to take the challenge and shape the minds of the children to ensure they achieve their potential and aspire to cultivate positive values in the society.

“Teachers need to take note their learners’ background when they enroll in school as a starting point for intervention towards their emotional and physical growth,” said Mohammed.

He urged pupils and students to remain focused in their studies by being self-disciplined and shun activities that jeopardize their relationship with their parents and teachers.

In the KCPE 2011 results, Butula Girls took the lead with a mean score of 316.5, followed by Victorine Academy 315.45, Hekima 307, St Augustine Boys Butunyi 305.29 and Lugulu AC 304.74 among other schools with Bukhalarire being the most improved school in the District.

In the KCSE results, among the five best performing Secondary Schools was Butula Boy’s High School with a mean score of 8.654, Buhuyi 6.651, Lugulu AC 6.186, Bumala AC 6.17, and Ikonzo 6.083.