Girl who scored 407 marks yet to join Kenya High due to lack of fees

Lucy Wangare with her 15-year-old daughter Esther Shieni. [Robert Kiplagat, Standard]

The hopes of a 15-year-old girl from Ololung’a village in Narok South joining her dream high school are fast fading due to lack of school fees.

Despite her peers joining their preferred secondary schools nearly one month ago, Esther Waithera Shieni is still at home as her mother, Lucy Wangare, is unable to raise the Sh53,000 fees to enable her join Kenya High School.

Shieni scored 407 marks in last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations.

“I was elated when I received the admission letter to join Kenya High, which was my first choice. But I was unable to join because my mother, who is the sole breadwinner, could not raise money for me to join Form One,” Shieni said.

The girl, who aspires to be a lawyer, exuded confidence that she would join the school and appealed for financial aid.

“I know the deadline of joining schools has elapsed but I am appealing to Education CS Amina Mohammed to intervene. It was not my wish to be late for admission,” she said in tears.

On February 14, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i issued a seven-day ultimatum to chiefs in Narok to provide a report on the whereabouts of 2,600 candidates who sat  their KCPE exams last year and were yet to report to Form One.

Dr Matiang’i said he was acting on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s orders to ensure 100 per cent student transition from primary to secondary school.

Ms Wangare, a mother of eight who works as a casual labourer, said life had been hard since her husband died in 2008 and left her as the sole provider.

She said efforts to apply for scholarships and bursaries had been unsuccessful.