By Hellen Awino
A call to our news desk about failure by Sera Kauchi to report to school despite being among 9,443 2022 candidates who scored more than 400 marks drove us to her Bandacho home in Magarini- Kilifi county.
Our effort was to establish the reality of matter about Sera the 16 year old girl who our callers claimed she was at the verge of missing a form one slot after the deadline of form one reporting lapsed on 13th February 2023.
Sera Kauchi scored 405 marks in her 2022 KCPE at Bandacho primary school and was supposed to have reported at Moi Girls High school in Isinya.
When Coast Times Digital team visited her home Sara had joined her mother Mariam Rodgers at a quarry, one kilometer from her home, to raise school fees that will enable her to join Moi Girls High School Isinya which she was placed by the ministry of education.
At the quarry Sera was not alone. She was busy crushing stones into ballast that they would sell to contractors for constructions in exchange of money, her hopes and that of her mother is they will get enough for meals and save the rest of the school fees.
Thoughts of her missing out the slot at Moi Girls High school if she fails to report by 14 February 2023 is deepening and pressing her badly.
However, due to the biting hunger being experienced in various parts of the country, the money they raise from the quarry is hardly enough to feed the family let alone to cater for her school fees.
Sera puts on a brave face as she crashes one stone after another to hide the agony she is going through when she remembers that her counterparts are in class continuing with their education.
The head teacher, Bandacho primary, Constance Kanze breaks bad news to our team indicating that it is not Sera alone but four candidates who performed well in their KCPE had not yet joined secondary school yet due to inadequate financial support from their poor families.
Sera is among the three of her classmates who have obtained high scores besides Mary Kulola , Esther Wanyinya and Gilbert who scored above 360 marks .
The family pleaded that whoever is willing to help their daughter and the other desperate students may contact the school head teacher Ms Kanze through her mobile number ( 0723865789) that was provided.
Kanze said that they have tried to call for help from different quarters but all in vein hoping that someone would be attracted to help the needed teenager.
Among areas Sera and others had applied for support include Equity Banks Wings to fly, and Elimu scholarship programs no assistance came through.
The candidates have their own dreams of becoming medical doctors and surgeons but cannot join Mwasere Girls Secondary in Taita as their parents are not able to raise the fees.
According to civil society organizations in Kilifi a big number of students couldn’t join form one due to lack of school fees in Kilifi County either due to early marriages and teenage pregnancies whose cases are rampantly increasing in Kilifi.
The human rights organizations called on the government and corporate organisations to help such students who are stuck at home due to lack of fees.
1 Comment
Really while the government is live.