Dickens Bula: The Principal Whose Steady Hand and Big Heart Are Shaping Orero Boys’ Golden Era

By Godfrey Wamalwa 

At Orero Boys High School, excellence is no longer an aspiration—it has become a tradition. And behind this remarkable transformation stands Chief Principal Dickens Bula, a quiet, firm and deeply committed educationist whose touch has lifted every school he has headed.

Bula’s leadership is often described as a blend of purpose, precision and compassion. He is the kind of principal who walks the school compound at dawn, exchanging greetings with students preparing for morning prep, and the same leader who burns the midnight oil poring over performance charts and progress reports. To him, education is not a job,it is a calling.

Since taking over at Orero Boys, Bula has shepherded the institution into a period of consistent sterling KCSE results, year after year. Under his stewardship, the school has grown into a powerhouse whose academic discipline has become the envy of many. Candidates speak of him with admiration, describing him as a “steady compass” who guides without wavering and motivates without raising his voice.

Teachers say his secret lies in the small things: the regular academic clinics, the data-driven revision plans, the close monitoring, and the unwavering belief that every boy can excel if properly guided. He has built a culture where excellence is not demanded—it is nurtured.

But perhaps Bula’s greatest impact is found beyond the classroom walls. He is a mentor in the truest sense. Generations of learners credit him with shaping not only their grades but their character—teaching them the values of respect, self-discipline, and resilience. His office has become a refuge for boys seeking advice, affirmation, or simply someone to listen.

Over the years, the principal has watched many of his former students rise to become engineers, doctors, teachers, officers and entrepreneurs. And each time he meets one of them, he wears the same modest smile—a testament to a man who measures success not in trophies, but in transformed lives.

Colleagues describe him as a visionary who leads with clarity and humility. His open-door policy, staff empowerment, and insistence on teamwork have fortified the school’s internal systems and strengthened its public image. With him at the helm, Orero Boys has seen improvements in infrastructure, expanded academic support programmes, and a renewed sense of community pride.

Today, Orero Boys High School stands tall—an institution bursting with potential, discipline and confidence. And at its centre is Chief Principal Dickens Bula, the steward whose wisdom, mentorship and unwavering dedication continue to script one of the sweetest success stories in Kenya’s education landscape.