Meet Kenyatta University student who spent 20 years in primary school

Mathew Aol Nyamlori, 37, is yet to enjoy the fruits of education even after pursuing it with passion, perseverance and determination, all in the hope of qualifying for university admission.

His is a story of sheer determination that saw him write the KCPE examination nine times, and attain excellent grades with each attempt, in a bid to uplift himself, his siblings and his parents.

His ninth attempt at the primary school national exams finally saw Equity Bank's Wings to Fly scholarship programme take him through 'O' levels at Nairobi School.

"The B+ I secured at Nairobi School got me a spot at Kenyatta University to pursue a bachelor's degree in Public Policy and Administration," he says.

The ninth-born in a family of 13 children lived with his family in Gelegele Location, Sotik Sub-County in Bomet County.

He began his primary education at Kipsimbol Primary School in 1990. Nyamlori's father had a small tailoring shop at Gelegele while his mom, a casual labourer, did menial jobs at people's farms to help her husband raise their 13 children.

Together with his siblings, he was introduced to such kind of labour at a tender age as they grew up helping their mother in neighbours' farms. They would also seek jobs at construction and building sites.

Nyamlori's quest for education started while he was in Standard Five when he would attend zonal education and prize-giving days that were meant to award great performers in KCPE and KCSE exams. He was awed by how these individuals were being rewarded. He wanted to be like them and be celebrated.

He saw these working class families living their best lives while he and his family languished in poverty. He was, as a result, encouraged to work hard and be like them some day.

In 1992 during the clashes in the clamour for multiparty democracy, his parents fled Rift Valley for Nyanza.

It is during this time that an administration police officer, who later became a chief, took them in.

Excellent grades

To pay back the officer’s family in kind, Nyamlori began helping them with all sorts of work at home, including milking their dairy cattle and other house chores. He would wake up early in the morning to do all this work before preparing for school.

When his elder brother sat the KCPE exam and got admitted to Koiwa High School in Litein, he was forced to repeat four times. He later landed a spot at Starehe Boys' School and Centre. It then became Nyamlori's turn to sit his KCPE exam.

The first time, he got admitted to Kabianga High School in 1998 but, like his older brother, he did not take up his position for lack of school fees.

His aunt, who was a teacher, urged him to repeat KCPE the following year to score higher marks and apply for scholarships. He joined Rongo Primary School in 1999 to repeat Standard Eight. He stayed in a church after his aunt with whom he was living got transferred back to Sotik.

This was, however, short-lived as some church members were opposed to his stay in the church compound because he was not a pastor's child.

He scored over 500 marks and got admission to Kanga High School in Migori County. He later dropped out in Form Two due to lack of fees. He then began looking for casual labour.

He later went to Kitere Primary School, also in Rongo. He used to have sugarcane and guavas for lunch before returning for afternoon lessons.

In his third KCPE attempt, he scored 387 marks out of a possible 500. He got an admission to Rapogi High School in Migori County. He did not join.

He immediately went to Sony Sugar Primary School to repeat. Here, he found a teacher, a certain Mr Ojwang, who would give him Sh500 every fortnight! Mr Ojwang also encouraged him to continue working hard.

He rented an iron sheet walled room at Awendo during the time he was at Sony Sugar Primary School.
Nyamlori scored 399 marks and got another admission to Rapogi.

He later went to Rangwe Junior Academy in Homa Bay County where he scored 434 marks in KCPE and got admission to Maseno School. He was able to join Maseno School in the second term and still managed to perform well. But again, he dropped out in Form Two as he was not able to raise school fees.

He later travelled to Nairobi to seek scholarships and sponsorships, but all in vain. He then began to look for construction sites where he would earn some money.

Mocked and humiliated

But life only became unbearable. He then travelled back to Nyanza and sought admission at Agoro Sare Primary School in Oyugis town. During the weekends, he would work in the villagers' farms to get some money for upkeep.

He was often mocked and humiliated by people who said he was too old for primary school. Nevertheless, he scored 397 marks. Mathew got admission to Maranda High School. Again, he was unable to join Maranda and went to Narok to repeat Class Eight for the sixth time.

The pastor with whom he was living and who also owned the school that he joined was always away. Nyamlori had to fend for himself.

After writing his KCPE exam, he got admission to Kabsabet Boys' High School. He did not join. He then left for Oyugis.

He would later join Agape Junior Academy at Kosele in Homa Bay. He scored 400 marks in KCPE exam and got another admission to Maranda High School. Again he did not join secondary school.

Finally, he decided to find a public school so that he could easily be considered by sponsors and for scholarships. He joined Oriri Primary in Homa Bay and sat his last KCPE exam in 2011, scoring 403 marks.

After this, he sought Equity Bank's Wings To Fly education scholarship. He got an admission to Nairobi School.

Mathew says this opportunity gave him everything he needed to go through his 'O' level education.

He scored a B+ and got admitted to Kenyatta University where he is currently in his final year, pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Policy and Administration.

Although he still does not have a steady source of income, he says he is willing to do any work to earn a living.