Kenya Under-17 players acknowledge their fans after beating Burundi in the return leg of the fourth round of the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers on June 16 at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.
Eight Kenya Under-17 girls’ football team players are torn between pursuing their sporting ambitions on the grandest stage, and sitting for their Form Four exams which they have been working towards for the last 13 years.
When the team qualified for the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup on July 16 after beating Burundi 5-0 on aggregate, the current dilema was the furthest thing in the minds of the players.
On that day at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, goals from Marion Serenge and assistant captain Valarie Nekesa sent fans into a frenzy, as the Junior Starlets became the first Kenyan side to qualify for the Fifa World Cup in any category.
Now eight of the players must choose between playing in the biennial global showpiece from October 16 to November 3 in the Dominican Republic and sitting their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) later this year.
This overlap has posed a significant dilemma for the players, who are currently in their final year of secondary school. With the global showpiece fast approaching, the girls are torn between choosing between their academic commitments and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on the global stage.
Out of the 23 players, who were in the Junior Starlets team that made history after a 5-0 aggregate win over Burundi in the fourth round of qualifiers on June 16, eight are Form Four students in various schools across the country.
The candidates are Marion Serenge (Archbishop Njenga Girls High School), Laureen Ilavonga (Wiyeta Girls Secondary School), Christine Adhiambo (Nyakach Girls High School), Rebbecca Odato (Dagoretti Mixed Secondary School), Velma Nabwire (Wiyeta Girls Secondary School), Claire Meris (Kobala Mixed Secondary School) and Quinter Adhiambo (St Alfred Alara Secondary School).
For Marion and her father, former Kenyan international Mark Serenge, the choice is simple – skip KCSE and concentrate in training, then honour the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
Mark believes the exams can wait.
“As a parent, you invest in a child to go to school; however, exams can be done any other time later. I don’t think this should be an issue as the government is aware that this girl will be representing the country. The opportunity to play in the World Cup has come and the players should make good use of the opportunity,” noted Serenge, who also played for Tusker and AFC Leopards.
Marion has chosen to play in the World Cup.
“I will choose the World Cup over exams because this is a lifetime opportunity. Also with consultations with my parents, we came to an agreement that I play in the World Cup,” said Marion who scored two goals in the two matches against Burundi. Nation Sport understands that the Ministry of Education has in some circumstances allowed registered candidates, who have missed the KCSE exams to sit for the assessment after the stipulated exam period. Efforts to reach Education PS Dr Belio Kipsang were futile as his phone went unanswered and he had not responded to our texts by press time.
In January, the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) administered special exams for 9,354 registered candidates, who missed the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams. Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa
FKF president Nick Mwendwa said they engaged the Ministry of Education about special exams for the players.
“We approached the Ministry about the possibility of organising special exams for the players, but they told us that rules dictate that exam dates are final. Every girl in the Under-17 team wants to play in the World Cup. Some of them have told me they are happy to repeat next year,” he said on the sidelines of the FKF Awards gala at Safari Park Hotel on July 26.
He revealed that the team will enter camp on August 18 and engage in high-profile friendlies as part of their preparations.
“The team will travel to Spain where they will take part in a Four Nations tournament, which will be a great opportunity for them to showcase their skills and teamwork,” said Mwendwa.
Kenya is placed in Group ‘C’ alongside North Korea, Mexico, and England.
Apart from Kenya, Africa will also be represented at the World Cup by Nigeria and Zambia.
Starlets became the second East African team to qualify for the tournament after Tanzania qualified for the 2022 edition in India.
