The students in this story remained at home due to a lack of school fees while millions of students returned to class after the half-term break. Despite passing their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams and being accepted to secondary school, they have never entered secondary education. They desire connections with well-wishers so they can raise money for their schooling.
Their situation is similar to that of hundreds of other pupils who have not yet entered Form One, despite the fact that their friends have already returned from midterm break.
On March 1, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said more than 160,000 learners have not reported to Form One and Grade 7, in a major blow to the 100 per cent transition policy. According to him, 96% of students successfully move to junior high and 9% to Form 1, respectively.
In the capital's Mukuru kwa Njenga, Helton Ogeto, 14, trudges behind his father Evans Ogeto as they sell water from a cart.
He may not be able to enroll in Form One despite achieving extraordinarily well in his KCPE exam. Despite receiving 362 out of 500 possible points, he worries that he may never get the chance to enroll in secondary school.
My parents can't afford to send me to school, even though I received a 362 on the KCPE exam in 2022, and it breaks my heart every day," he adds. According to the official fee breakdown, the annual tuition at Kalulini Boys High School, where Helton received a spot, is Sh40,535, and the term one tuition is Sh20,400.
June Ndanu, 14, is paralyzed by anxiety and doubts that she will ever enter a high school. When we met her, she was at her mother’s kibanda selling vegetables. She scored 345 marks in her KCPE exam, a remarkable feat considering her upbringing in the harsh slums of Mukuru. Her biggest worry is that she might never amount to anything.
June adds, "I worked so hard because I wanted to overcome poverty, but I've realized that I might never do so.
June was supposed to enroll in Kyondoni Girls High School, where the fee for this year is Sh40,535 and the first term is Sh20,400, according to the official school fee breakdown.
On February 20, Lucqky Mboga participated in a protest in Nairobi over the absence of school fees. They had trudged seven kilometers in the blazing sun from Mathare. His mother cannot afford to take him to the Kericho school he was summoned to, but he aspires to enter Ofafa Jericho Boys High School in Makadara. Justin Irungu, his brother, who earned 364 points, is seated at
I always wanted to be an engineer and wear the yellow hardhat and make my parents proud. Lucky says, "I wanted to be the one in my family to assist them.
According to the Chebgwagan Secondary School fee structure, this year’s fee is Sh49,535.
Joy Wambui Huho, 15, scored 345 in the KCPE exam despite the difficult circumstances at home.
Since we don't have electricity at home, I studied by candlelight at night. When I learned that I had been accepted to Kijabe Girls High School, I was thrilled," the student claims. Her excitement has however turned into grief as her mother, who washes clothes for a livelihood, is unable to pay for her schooling.
My mother managed to obtain some money from well-wishers for uniforms and a few stuff and accompany me to school so that I don’t lose my position. Nevertheless, I’ve been asked not to report back without the balance for the first term including for uniform (Sh31,082),” she says.
His dad works odd jobs. Oduor got admission to Isibania Boys High School.
I haven't reported because there aren't any fees. Since everyone in the slum is poor, we tried fundraising, but we haven't received any assistance, the man claims. The uniform is Sh13,500 and Form One tuition is Sh40,535. There are other items he needs, too. In the KCPE exam, Oduor Brevilly Adongo, 15, received a score of 333.
Oduor, his father, and his brother reside in Aviation Village in Embakasi, Nairobi.
"I took the KCPE exam at Jubilant Junior School, where the head teacher had sponsored me. I used to go in and out of school because of money issues," he claims.
Since I received admission to Kaptebengwet Boys High School, my dad has been unable to raise the money to take me to school.
Elvis said the cost of uniforms is Sh7,350 while the charge is Sh40,535. There’s also the cost of personal stuff.
He says, "I'm asking well-wishers to assist me go to school."
Job Makina Nyariki, 14, scored 206 marks and was called to Katani Secondary School. He claimed that on the day we met him, they had been evicted from their home due to unpaid rent. His mother does menial jobs like washing clothes or packaging French beans. “I’m appealing for help to go to school so that I can help my mother and sisters later,” he says. “I live with my mum and
