Relief for best Garissa KCPE student as MCA pays his school fees

Hamza Ahmed Iman who was the best student in last year's KCPE results in Garissa county can breathe a sigh of relief after his first-term school fees was cleared.

Hamza, from  Abu Hureyra Schools in Bula Medina, scored 408 marks.

He received the good news on Thursday after Galbet MCA Abubakar Mohamed Khalif offered to pay Sh60,000 admission fees at Starehe boys centre as well as carter for his shopping.

Hamza,14, could not hide his joy upon receiving the good news saying that his dream of studying medicine at the university was slowly taking shape.

Form one students will report between February 6 and 13.

“When the results were announced sometime last year and I ended up not only performing well but emerging the best in the county and the region. I had mixed feelings. While I was happy with my performance I really didn't know what would follow thereafter because my parents are poor,” he said.

He added:

“I sincerely want to thank the MCA, for coming through in my hour of need. I had started losing hope in life. All I can promise is hard work and good performance. I will not waste this God-given opportunity."

Hamza who is the firstborn in a family of six and whose parents are jobless said that his dream was to uplift the living standards of his family saying that education has given him an opportunity to actualize that.

On his part, the MCA who also paid school fees for five other students said that no student should drop out of school for lack of school fees challenging fellow leaders to do more in terms of ensuring that such students are assisted.

“Am really proud of Hamza for putting Galbet ward and Garissa county on the national map. It takes a lot of hard work, discipline and dedication for one to put out such good results. The best thing to do is to support such students. I will make sure that he is among those who will benefit from the county bursary distribution that will be done soon,” he said.

Abubakar who is also the Majority leader in the county assembly said that the assembly was planning to increase the bursary allocation from the current Sh60 million to Sh200 million in order to reach more students.

“As your leader, I will advocate for scholarships to all bright and needy students to further their education both at secondary and tertiary levels. With the help of the county government, I will also advocate for investment in school infrastructure and recruitment of more teachers because all these things have a direct impact on education standards,” he said.

His Mother Fatuma Abdille thanked the MCA for his kind gesture saying that as parents they felt helpless not knowing what to do with their son ahead of his admission.

“I want to urge our local leaders to rise up to the occasion and support the needy students because there are hundreds of them out there. If it is through ensuring that the bursary allocation is increased so be it,” She said.

Last week, Garissa governor Nathif Jama urged school heads not to send students home for fees, saying his administration will soon distribute bursaries.