Friends with goals: How pact between three boys saw them top KCPE and KCSE exams
Friends who went to the same primary school --Xaverian Primary School in Kisumu-- and all got straight As in the just released KCSE results. L-R: Anthony Odhiambo (Alliance High School 83 marks), Paul Otana (Alliance High School 81 marks) and Adrian Wenner Otieno (Maseno School 84 marks).
In 2019, three friends – Anthony Odhiambo, Paul Otana and Adrian Wena – emerged as the top students in Kisumu County after sitting their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam.
Anthony, Paul and Adrian scored 426, 416 and 407 marks, respectively. Although they had hoped to join the same secondary school, this was not to be. While Paul and Anthony continued at Alliance High School, Adrian secured a place at Maseno School.
This did not dampen the boys' spirits and the three friends vowed to work together whenever possible to improve their academic performance.
Their efforts would pay off four years later. The bond of friendship that binds the teenagers together has stood the test of time and the trio has once again excelled, achieving A grades in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam.
Adrian topped his friends with an A grade of 84, closely followed by Anthony and Paul with A grades of 83 and 81, respectively.
Adrian also emerged the second best student at Maseno School.
“I attribute the good results to group work, frequent consultations, determination and trusting in God,” Anthony said in an interview with the Nation.
He said that although they attended different secondary schools, they spent most of their holidays exchanging notes and studying with Adrian, who is his neighbour in Nyalenda estate, Kisumu County.
While Paul was usually in Nairobi during holidays, he would sometimes travel to Kisumu, and the three friends would then study together.
They made time at weekends and late at night to study together, helping each other.
“Adrian was good at mathematics, while I was good at sciences,” said Anthony, adding that they devoted most of their group work to revising maths and science.
Back at school, Paul was a master of computer lessons and would lend a helping hand to Anthony, who in turn offered him guidance in geography.
The three admit that while they always competed to outdo each other, theirs was a positive competition.
From the days when the three were pupils at Xaverian Primary School in Kisumu, they had agreed to compete against each other while also offering support to those who were weak in other subjects.
“I joined Xaverian Primary School together with (Paul) Otana in 2017. At that time, Anthony had been at the school for six years,” said Adrian.
The three of them always made sure they were in the top ten of their respective schools.
They also looked out for each other in case of poor performance and challenges, which came from peer pressure.
“In Form Two, my teacher, Mr Fred Mosoti, reached out to me saying I had changed and needed to get back on track. I also realised that Paul too was facing a similar problem and I reached out to him,” said Anthony.
“Friendship should be about building each other up, lighting each other’s candles, because that is the only way to make our country better,” said Paul.
Anthony and Adrian hope to study medicine at the University of Nairobi. Paul, on the other hand, wants to study computer science at Princeton University in the US.
“Even with the distance, our friendship is too firm to be broken. We will continue to work together and ensure each of us achieves their dreams,” said Adrian.
