Lodwar High School is a national boys’ secondary school located in Turkana County. It was established in 1968 through the efforts of Monsignor John Mahon, later the first Bishop of the Diocese of Lodwar, who identified the educational gap among the Turkana people.
The school officially opened in January 1969 with one classroom block serving as a dormitory, office, and kitchen. The first head teacher was Rev. Con Ryan from Ireland, assisted by Bishop Mahon, who also taught English and Mathematics due to a staff shortage.
The school began with 40 students, only two of whom were from the Turkana community. By 1970, the number of local students increased as volunteer teachers from Ireland, England, the U.S., and Denmark joined to boost staffing.
Lodwar High School history
Under the leadership of Rev. P. O’Sullivan (1974–1987), Lodwar High expanded rapidly, benefiting from Norwegian Development Aid that funded dormitories, laboratories, and classrooms.
In 1987, the first African principal, Mr. Mukasa, took over from the missionaries, marking the start of African leadership. The 1990s saw a strong emphasis on discipline and academic revival under Mr. Wachira, whose strict yet effective administration led to significant improvements in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
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Later, principals such as Mr. Nanok (1998–2006) and Mr. Richard Rono (2006–2009) continued to strengthen performance and school infrastructure
Lodwar High has since grown into one of the leading institutions in northern Kenya. Alongside Turkana Girls, the institutions are the only national schools in Turkana County.
Performance
Each year, more than 200 students are admitted to the institution based on academic merit and individual choice, in line with Kenya’s education policy. Until 2023, admissions were determined by performance in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
However, this system was replaced by the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), introduced under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) framework.
In the 2024 KCSE, a total of 107 out of 214 candidates who sat the national examinations at Lodwar Boys High School attained a grade of C+ and above, the minimum grade for direct university admission.
Two students scored an A-, 10 students scored a B+, 15 students scored a B, 31 students scored a B-, and 49 students achieved a C+. However, the school did not produce a straight A grade for the ninth consecutive year,
The school’s Principal, Patrick Lokwayen, attributed this to the unwillingness of top KCPE performers to join the institution after being selected.
The principal further explained that the school often has to admit students with lower marks from within the County to fill the slots left by those who decline admission.
School fees
The Government of Kenya previously issued a directive outlining the maximum annual school fees that parents are required to pay.
Under the 2020 guidelines introduced by the Ministry of Education, Kenya’s 103 national schools were grouped into four clusters, with the official annual fee cap set at approximately Ksh75,798 per student.
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However, actual fees may vary slightly from school to school due to additional charges levied by individual institutions, such as for uniforms, motivational programs, and co-curricular activities.
Location and contacts
The school is situated in Turkana Central Sub-County, Turkana County.
If you have any complaints, queries, or comments, please contact the institution’s administration using the details below.
Mobile phone/telephone number: 0706347461
Postal address: P.O. Box 38-30500 Lodwar
Email address: [email protected]
Lodwar High School KNEC code: 21500012
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