By SHABAN MAKOKHA
October 1, 2026|The books were closed. The pressure was momentarily lifted. And inside St Luke’s Cathedral, 433 young men stood together—not with examination papers in their hands, but with prayers on their lips.
With the KCSE clock ticking, Butere Boys’ 2026 candidates set aside examination pressure for a powerful moment of worship, reflection and prayer, as their school sets its sights on raising its mean score from 7.8 to 8.5.
For the Form Four candidates, it was a rare pause before the final academic battle—a moment to confront the fear and uncertainty that accompany the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations, and to draw strength from faith, teachers and one another.
The voices of the ACK Diocese of Butere Church choir filled the cathedral as students joined in passionately sung English and Swahili worship songs.
For a school preparing to send 433 candidates into the national examinations, the service carried a deeper message: preparation is not only about books, revision timetables and past papers. For these students, it is also about courage, discipline, faith and the belief that they can face whatever lies ahead.
The candidates sang of redemption, freedom and the sovereignty of God, creating an atmosphere that was both celebratory and deeply reflective.
Then came their own moment. The Form Fours performed a special song celebrating God’s sovereignty over their lives—a performance that captured the emotions of students standing at the threshold between childhood and the uncertain world beyond secondary school.
Presiding over the service, Bishop Rose Okeno reminded the candidates that prayer should remain an important part of their journey as they enter the final and most demanding stage of their secondary education.
She urged them to refuse fear and anxiety the power to derail years of preparation.
“Do not allow fear or anxiety to distract you from your course,” she told them. “Approach the examinations with confidence, discipline, prayer and a positive attitude.”
Her message came at a critical moment. For the 433 candidates, the KCSE is no longer a distant examination. It is fast approaching—bringing with it expectations from the school, families and, above all, the students themselves.
Rev Okana urged the candidates to remain focused and committed during the final stretch, reminding them to recognise God’s faithfulness throughout their journey and to trust in Him as they prepare for the examinations.
Butere Boys is not approaching the examination season without ambition. The school has set its sights on a mean score of 8.5, up from 7.8 last year.
It is a target that demands discipline, sustained preparation and determination from both teachers and candidates.
Chief Principal Habil Malika praised the 2026 cohort for maintaining discipline and commitment in academics and other areas of school life.
He challenged them to maintain that standard through the final examination and to leave behind a legacy that will inspire the students coming after them.
“As you approach the end of your time at Butere Boys, remember to leave behind wisdom and continue to lead the underclassmen,” Mr Malika told them.
For many Kenyan schools, candidate prayer and commissioning services have become an important part of the final-term calendar, bringing together students, teachers, parents, clergy and other members of the community to encourage candidates before the national examinations.
But Butere Boys chose a different path. There were no political speeches, no large public gathering and no parade of dignitaries.
Instead, the school held a quiet, deliberately low-key service inside St Luke’s Cathedral involving students, teachers and the church.
The simplicity was significant. The Ministry of Education has restricted non-academic, social and extracurricular activities during the third term in an effort to protect instructional time and safeguard the credibility of the national examinations.
So the service became less about ceremony and more about the candidates themselves.
Inside the cathedral, 433 students were reminded that behind the examination numbers are individual dreams, fears and ambitions.
Some are thinking about university. Others are looking towards technical and vocational training, employment, business or entirely different paths.
For all of them, however, the KCSE represents an important doorway to the next chapter.
And as the final weeks of secondary school slip away, the message from Butere Boys was unmistakable: Study hard. Stay disciplined. Believe in yourself. And do not let fear write your story before you enter the examination room.