When Racheal Amogola started the journey to Murang’a county to enrol her child at Mugoiri Girls High School, she did not know her day would end in tears.
She arrived at the school on Monday at 8am to find hundreds of parents and children in the admission queue.
Amogola patiently queued for the better part of the day but when it was her turn to be served, she was told her daughter’s name was not on the list of students expected at the school.
This was despite the fact that her daughter had received an admission letter from the school. Hildah Anatwa scored 381 marks in KCPE.
Amogola was informed that her daughter’s admission had been slotted for Wambasa Secondary School in Siaya county.
The mother broke down in tears, loudly wailing and praying in her mother tongue. She did not know what to do and it was getting dark.
“It pains being here the entire day only to be told that we do not belong to this school, yet we did not apply for a transfer,” she said, holding her daughter's admission letter.
She wondered why her daughter’s name had been swapped and taken to a different school, from a national school.
She said her daughter, whom she described as hardworking, did not deserve such treatment after excelling in her primary education.
The distraught mother wondered why the changes were made without consulting her, saying her plans have been thrown into disarray.
In a bid to know the school that her daughter would join, Amogola said she had visited the school and established that it was well-performing.
“We were so happy to know that she would join a good school that has a history of performing well,” she added.
Overwhelmed by emotions, the mother and daughter sobbed openly as other parents went about the admission process, disregarding their wails.
Hildah, for her part, said her dreams were to join a national school.
The former Kahawa Garrison Primary School pupil said her efforts were geared towards ensuring she joined a good quality secondary school.
The two appealed to the government to intervene and reverse the swap.
“We had bought all the requirements needed to join the school and it would be so hard to go back to the shops to buy new items for another school,” she said.
The school's principal Susan Muthoni pledged to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure the girl is assisted.
County Education director Ann Kiilu also weighed in, saying she had contacted the Ministry of Education to have the matter amicably resolved.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
