Top KCPE boy turns to tea picking after failing to raise school fees

Beth Munjiru carried shoulder high at Benendito highway academy after she got 422 marks and emerged the best female candidate in Murang'a county. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

A boy who emerged top of his class in the national examination in Mathira constituency, Murang’a County now picks tea after failing to raise school fees.

Marvin Karimi, who was the top pupil at Giakaibei Primary School with 382 marks in the 2018 KCPE examination, may not join Kenyatta Mahiga High school.

When The Standard visited his home, Karimi was returning from a neighbouring farm where he picks tea for Sh200 per day.

His mother Mercy Waruguru said she is unable to raise the fees required for Karimi to join Form One.

“I applied for the Equity Group Foundation Wings to Fly scholarship and they even came to our home but I never got it,” she added.

Karimi said he has given up going to school and has opted to help his mother in doing casual labour to help her feed his eight siblings.

His mother said she has exhausted all the means she thought could help her raise Sh75,000 required for Karimi to join Form One.

Her efforts to seek help from the area MP bore no fruits after she was told the parliamentarian could only help by attending and contributing to a fundraising if she could organize one.

“I make Sh200 per day which I don’t even manage to save because I have to feed my nine children, and pay fees for the ones in school. How will I be able to organize a fundraising?” she posed.

With the deadline for Form One admission being today, the mother of nine is worried that her son’s dream of becoming a pilot has been cut shot.

"At this point, I do not know what else I can do. I have tried my best to get help, but no one wants to help us," said Ms. Waruguru.