Help us join Form One, learners plead
From left: Lameck Makori (423 marks) has been called to Alliance High School, Anthony Otieno (360 marks) has been called to Ugenya High School, Joyce Kenani (283 marks) has been called to St Antony Kakoyi High School and Cyprian Awiti (378 marks) is supposed to join Kabianga School.
What you need to know:
- Euphantus Irungu Waithira, 14, walks the streets of Nairobi holding a blue poster pleading for help to join Form One. It reads: “Appealing for assistance to join Form 1 at Nairobi School. Marks attained 389."
- When we met him, he had walked from Githurai at 3 am to Nairobi to try his luck. He had also not eaten for two days.
- The yearly fee at Nairobi School is Sh53,544 while the term one fee is Sh27, 777 according to the official school fees breakdown.
Euphantus Irungu Waithira, 14, walks the streets of Nairobi holding a blue poster pleading for help to join Form One. It reads: “Appealing for assistance to join Form 1 at Nairobi School. Marks attained 389. Please call 0726585716.”
As his peers join Form one, his fate hangs in the balance. He has tried applying for bursaries to no avail. He has tried reaching out to his area MCA and MP without luck. He has also unsuccessfully tried reaching out to the Nairobi Governor.
When we met him, he had walked from Githurai at 3 am to Nairobi to try his luck. He had also not eaten for two days.
“I came with my uncle today to try to seek help from different organisations, the Ministry of Education said they don’t deal with such cases, we went to Parliament, the police chased us away... I just want to go to school, I want to be able to afford to buy food for my sibling and mother,” he said.
The yearly fee at Nairobi School is Sh53,544 while the term one fee is Sh27, 777 according to the official school fees breakdown.
“I want to become a pilot because I am passionate about aviation, I hope one day to fly my mum and uncle,” he said.
His uncle Anthony Munyinyi, said: “He called me crying saying he had not gotten any feedback from the ward bursaries, that’s why I decided to travel from Embu and come help him. Nobody in our family has ever gone beyond secondary school and he was our only hope to break that chain. I don’t want him to join me in looking for odd jobs.”
Lameck Maina Makori is also worried and unsure of whether he will join secondary school. The boy got 423 marks in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam at Kari DEB Primary School in Kisii County. But his mother, Joyce Kwamboka, has no money to take him to Alliance High School.
Master Lameck Maina Makori is worried and unsure whether he will join secondary school next week.The boy got 423 marks in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. He schooled at Kari DEB Primary School in Kisii County and was one of the top performers in the country.
Ms Kwamboka is now pleading with well-wishers to support her son as time runs out – he was supposed to report to the school on February 6.
“I work as a house help and I am paid Sh3,000. This money helps to feed my children, pay rent and support other family needs,” said Ms Kwamboka. Lameck managed to complete his primary school education through the support of well-wishers.
“Kari DEB Primary School head teacher Abel Maseno supported Lameck immensely; financially and psychologically. We are grateful to him,” said Ms Kwamboka.
Life struggles
She added: “Life has been a struggle and I am pleading with anyone who can kindly assist my child to get admitted to high school so that he can better his future.”
The school fees required for the whole year are slightly above Sh 53,000. There are other additional requirements totalling more than Sh22,000, minus shopping and transport costs.
Cyprian Awiti who scored 378 marks, is supposed to join Kabianga School, a national school in Kericho County. However, his parents are not able to raise fees for the boy.
Prince Okoth Olal got 392 marks and is supposed to join Orero Boys Secondary school but lack of fees might see him lose the opportunity.
“I emerged among the top students in the public school and my greatest dream has been to join secondary school in order to help my mother,” said Prince.
His journey through primary school education has not been smooth, many times we would miss meals and lack school provisions.
“Unfortunately, my dream may never materialise since my parent is not in a position to raise my school fees of Sh40,535,” he said as he appealed to well-wishers to help him achieve his dream of becoming a doctor.
Cyprian Awiti, who scored 378 marks, is also unable to actualise his dream of joining Kabianga School.
“My greatest dilemma now is how my parents are going to raise Sh59,554 to see me through my secondary school education every year,” he said.
His parents depend on odd jobs to sustain the family.
Reports by Mercy Simiyu, Ruth Mbula, Lydia Omara, Angeline Ochieng and Elizabeth Ojina
