Looming darkness over the fate of bright and needy students

“I know it is not the only way to solve this problem, but it is the best option for me to take,” read the suicide note written by Jane (not her real name), a student who had sat for the 2019 KCPE exams, scored 391 marks out of 500 but whose family seemed unable to raise the necessary funds for her to enroll in secondary school.

Fortunately, her plans were foiled before she could carry them through. Jane is currently waiting to join Asumbi Girls Secondary School with the hope that her parents will be able to raise the money needed for her school fees.