Arthritic student among KCSE top performers in Kenya

Nyandarua, Kenya: Getting an A (plain) in KCSE is no mean feat, especially when a candidate faces seemingly insurmountable hurdles.

However, 18-year-old Isaac Mbugua did just that, much to his surprise.

The former student of St Mary Boys' Secondary School scored an A (plain) of 83 points despite facing challenges both at home and school.

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Mbugua has an arthritic condition which kept him out of school for a long time before he recovered while his parents grappled with getting his school fees.

The only boy and last-born of five siblings aspires to study Mechatronics Engineering at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

"The secret to my success was putting God first, then thorough revision of past papers and holding regular course-work discussions with fellow students," he said.

Mbugua's father, George Ragui, a teacher at Wanjohi Girls Secondary School, was elated at his son's exceptional performance.

"He certainly exceeded my expectations. I am very proud of him," he enthused.

Mbugua's family, which resides in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, now plans to throw a memorable party for him.