St Mary's School Yala
Extra-county boys' boarding school
Gem, Siaya County
Particulars
| Established | 1927 |
| Category | Extra-county |
| KCSE mean, latest | B- (8.00) |
| Fees per term | — |
| Population | — |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic (Mill Hill Missionaries heritage) |
| KNEC code | 42726101 |
About the school
St Mary's School Yala is a boys' boarding secondary school located in Yala, Gem sub-county, Siaya County. The school was established by Mill Hill missionaries under the leadership of Monsignor Brandsma, originally intended as a teachers college for Catholic schools before becoming a full secondary school.
The school is well known both academically and for sport, particularly rugby — it was crowned National Secondary Schools Rugby Champions in 2003 and remains one of Kenya's premier rugby schools, returning to the national stage in 2026 in handball, rugby 15s, and basketball.
Notable alumni include the late Tom Mboya (Minister for Economic Planning and founding member of Kenya African National Union), the late Argwings Kodhek, and former Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Richard Onyonka. The school is also associated with renowned philosopher Prof. Henry Odera Oruka and several leading Kenyan academics.
KCSE performance
| Year | Grade | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | B- | 8.02 |
| 2023 | B- | 7.50 |