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Butere Girls High School, located in Kakamega County, is one of Kenya’s oldest girls’ education institutions.
Established in 1916 by Jane Elizabeth Chadwick, an Irish Anglican missionary, the school began as a primary institution offering basic education in literacy, religious studies, and home economics.
Chadwick, who arrived in Butere in 1916 and taught there until her return to Ireland in 1925, is credited with laying the foundation for girls' education in the region.
By 1931, the school had grown into a full-day school and became a boarding school in 1937.
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It transitioned into a secondary school in 1957 and was considered one of Kenya’s top Protestant girls’ schools.
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At its peak, it ranked second nationally after Alliance Girls High School. In 1970, Butere Girls admitted its first A-level class.
The institution experienced challenges in the 1980s due to management issues, deteriorating infrastructure, and disciplinary problems, which affected its academic performance.
However, the school recovered in the following decades and was elevated to the status of a national school in 2012.
In 2013, the school gained national attention for staging Shackles of Doom, a play written by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala.
The play, which addressed sensitive topics such as ethnicity and inequality, was initially banned by the Ministry of Education but later reinstated by the High Court.
In 2018, Butere Girls won the Western Region Drama Festival with another of Malala’s plays, It is Well.
Notable Alumni
Butere Girls High School has produced a number of prominent women in Kenya. Among them is Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch, the first Kenyan judge to serve at the International Criminal Court.
Another alumnus, Lady Justice Effie Owuor, became Kenya’s first female High Court judge.
Mary Okello, known as the first female bank manager in Kenya and founder of Makini Schools, is also a former student of Butere.
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Other notable alumni include First Lady Rachael Ruto, Prof Norah Olembo, a renowned scientist in the field of biotechnology, Prof Florida Karani, the first female Chancellor of Maseno University, and former long-serving Taveta MP Dr Naomi Shaban.
The school also counts among its graduates Ambassador Orie Rogo Manduli, known for her flamboyant fashion and public presence, Prof Julia Ojiambo, the first female MP from Western Kenya and Elizabeth Masiga, the first woman to serve as Chief Inspector of Schools and Director of Education in Kenya.
Despite its long history, the school has not been without controversy.
In 2016, Principal Dorah Okalo was removed from office under pressure from the Anglican Church leadership in Butere.
In 2019, a student’s death by suicide raised concerns about mental health and student welfare at the institution.
Today, Butere Girls' High School remains a national public boarding school for girls and continues to play a significant role in the advancement of girls' education in Kenya.