KCSE Top Performer Now Works in Mjengo
Sometimes, fate can be cruel.
In 2021, Clinton Mutwiri excelled in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), achieving an A- with 79 points.
This accomplishment positioned him as one of the top performers in Timau Sub County, Meru, where he secured the third position in the sub-county schools category.
As a result of his academic performance, he received an invitation to join Kabarak University for a Bachelor of Science program in Clinical Medicine.
However, two years later, Clinton’s family faced financial challenges, rendering them unable to meet the Ksh110,000 per semester tuition fees.
The situation has delayed his pursuit of higher education.
“I resorted to menial jobs, cleaning clothes, washing people’s houses, and also working on construction sites (mjengo) to survive,” he told journalists outside Kabarak University, Nakuru County.
“I pleaded with the university to join, as we wait for the government loan but they informed me that I had to at least provide 40 percent of the amount (Ksh44,000), which I am unable to raise.”
His mother Lucy Karwitha, speaking to journalists, shared the challenges their family had faced. She revealed that she had been forced out of her home and had to single-handedly support her two children.
Per her narration, she took on various menial jobs to make ends meet and had to contend with renting a small rental in Syokimau, Machakos County.
Mutwiri’s mother further disclosed that she had to make the difficult choice of allowing her son to temporarily drop out of school so that his brother could continue his education at Angaine Mixed Day Secondary School, Meru County. Due to her low income, she could not afford to school them both due to the financial burden.
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After four years, Mutwiri resumed his studies and received an invitation to join St. Joseph Tigithi Boys High School, Laikipia County. However, considering the circumstances, he decided to stay at Angaine Mixed Day Secondary School due to its proximity to their home and more manageable costs.
“Upon reaching Form 4, we lacked funds to pay for him to report to school. He would wake up at around 3:00 am and begin walking at 4:00 am to school,” she added.
“One day the principal found him walking early morning and offered him a chance to sleep in school as the institution would provide food.”
Mutwiri’s mother further revealed that her son, cognizant of his family’s situation, committed the majority of his time to study, sleeping for only two hours and spending the rest of the time immersing himself in books.
She further acknowledged that it was this hard work that enabled him to achieve his success in the 2021 KCSE examinations. She expressed her frustration that her son’s potential would go to waste if he didn’t complete his education.
In April 2022, the late Education CS George Magoha revealed that out of 826,807 candidates, 145,145 (17.5%) scored a C+ and above. All the students qualified for university admission.
KCSE Top Performer Now Works in Mjengo
