Fifteen-year-old Rodgers Mwenda says his mother’s carjacking affected his academic performance.
Rodgers, who sat for his KCPE examination at Kiuini Preparatory School in Athi River, Machakos scored 402 marks.
The best candidate in the school scored 418 marks. Some 50 learners sat the examination in Kiuini, 25 of them scored 400 and above, while the least mark was 340.
Rodgers said he struggled to catch up with other pupils after he stayed home for a while due to lack of school fees.
He said all was well from baby class until Class 5 when the mother was carjacked along Namanga road while she was driving to pick Rodgers and his siblings from school.
“It has been a difficult journey but I thank God for passing my examination. I am hopeful that I will join my dream school, Lenana High. I aspire to be an aeronautical engineer,” Rodgers told the Star at Kiuni Preparatory School on Sunday.
He said he was transferred to another school for a while during the financial challenges.
“When I returned, the class had covered a lot in the syllabus. I hustled to catch up but school fees challenges cost me a lot,” Rodgers said.
The boy’s mother Juliana Mwenda said she is proud of her son's performance despite the challenges they faced during his upper primary education.
Juliana said they were financially stable until she was carjacked on October 10, 2017.
“My car was stolen after a gang of armed thugs threw me out of the moving vehicle along Namanga road in Athi River next to Nairobi – Namanga road interchange,” Juliana said.
She said she used to sell food in companies within Athi River and its environs and she wasn’t able to continue with the business after she lost the car.
“I sold food to raise my children, pay their school fees and cater for other family needs,” Juliana said.
The mother of three said after the incident, she had no money and was unable to restart the business.
“I had to wait until when I talked to the school’s director to allow me to transfer my children, since I had no means of transporting them to school,” she said.
Juliana said she transferred the children to another school for two terms.
“When I got another car, I started dropping them to Kiuini again. But after two years, Covid–19 hit. My husband lost his job in 2020 due to the pandemic. We stayed home without food, school fees and house rent. But all in all God is faithful, we are still alive,” she said.
Juliana said 2020 was the most difficult year.
“I live at Makutano junction but worked in Athi River. The security roadblock at Small World paralysed my operations. I couldn’t pass since I wasn’t an essential service provider,” she said.
The mother said her landlord, where she had a boutique business and food café sold her stock and belongings.
Juliana had failed to pay five months rent, which accumulated to Sh50,000. She lost it all.
She said though her son had excelled in the examination, she doesn't have money for his form one admission.
The mother called on well-wishers to help her raise the money.
The school’s headteacher Nancy Karume said they support parents who have school fees challenges, especially those with children in upper classes.
“It’s been a journey we have walked with these children. We have seen them progress from kindergarten to Class 8 and I’m grateful to parents, teachers and directors’ cooperation,” she said.
Karume said the school had a mean score of 396 in 2021 KCPE, an improvement from 380 in 2020.
She said the institution was established in February 2001 and started with three children.“Kiuini is one school that doesn’t dwell on monetary issues.”
The headteacher said the school charges Sh45,000 per term for Class 8 boarders.
She dispelled the notion that private schools are meant for well off parents.
“In Kiuini we embrace all parents. Our directors Grace and Stephen Ariga came up with a payment plan. Parents can pay fees monthly or in instalments,” Karume said.
She said the school also gives back to the community through Corporate Social Responsibilities.
Bondeni children rescue centre, she said, was one of the projects they support as a school.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
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