Medicine a top career choice for best KCPE candidates
Pursuing a career in medicine is at the top of many young candidates who posted the best scores in the just released KCPE results.
Faith Mumo Kawee, who emerged top nationally after scoring 433 marks out of the possible 500, believes that Kenya High will give her an admission that will pave the way for her to study neurosurgery at the university later.
Yvette Nanzala Wesonga of Chogoria Girls and Angel Gakenia Murithi of Maseno Girls Boarding came second and third respectively, both scooping 432 marks.
Angel Gakenia, just like Faith Mumo, dreams of joining Kenya High and later studying neurosurgeon.
Morara Chrispo Oseko, a 13-year-old boy from Tasia community in Nairobi, is among the top students with 413 marks.
Read also: Girls, public schools shine in 2020 KCPE results
Chrispo attended Bridge International Academies. Despite the many challenges faced in the period leading to the exam due to Covid-19 disruptions, he is grateful to his teachers for their guidance and dedication, which transformed him into a better candidate.
All learners in Kenya had been out of school for months on end following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020. The Ministry of Education, however, rolled out an accelerated study program late last year for the candidate classes to help recover the lost time.
“We did not know how long our schools would remain shut following the extended closure that was meant to help the country to manage the pandemic. Indeed, many people predicted doom and gloom for the education sector,” said Ministry of Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof George Magoha.
Chrispo remains hopeful that he’ll join his dream secondary institution, Alliance High School, where he believes his journey of becoming a doctor will be natured.
He said, “I’m so proud to be among the top pupils in the country. My school and my teachers made me believe that I can achieve my dreams if I study hard and now, I can see that it is true. I know this is just the beginning and I can go on and perform well in secondary school.”
Ogola Mercy Achieng, 14, is happy after scoring a total of 404 marks. Mercy, who hails from Siaya County and was also a class prefect at Bridge school, dreams of joining Alliance Girls High School and later studying medicine.
The number of candidates, who scored over 400 marks in the 2020 KCPE dropped to 8,091 from 9,673 pupils in 2019 owing to subdued performance in science and language subjects, the ministry said.
Whereas girls performed better than boys in English, Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language, the boys outshined the girls in Mathematics, Science and Social Studies and Religious Education.
According to data from the Ministry of Education, public schools performed better than their private counterparts, managing 10 of the top 15 positions nationally.
“Female candidates have taken eight places, including the first three overall slots,” said Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof George Magoha, while releasing the results on April 15.
Thirteen-year-old Kimberly Betty from Uasin Gishu scored 411 marks. Kimberly used to trek for nearly an hour to school every day but when Covid-19 hit she turned to Bridge@home library to keep learning while at home.
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Kimberly, who loves science, is hopeful that she will join Kenya High where she’ll set a firm base for her dream studies and career in medicine, too.
In Siaya County, Vincent Ochieng Imoni, 14, credits his score of 405 marks to hard work, discipline and prayers since joining Bridge Academy. Vincent, whose favourite subject is Mathematics, dreams of joining Starehe Boys Centre and School, where he plans to start laying the foundation for his dream job, a doctor.
Reuben Wambugu, Bridge Kenya managing director said: “Thousands of children from underserved communities have proven once again that where you are from doesn’t have any impact on what you can achieve. For the sixth year in a row our pupils have performed extremely well showing that our approach to teaching and learning works.”
The selection for Form One places will start on May 28 and the government seeks to ensure 100 per cent transition to secondary schools for all the approximately 1.2 million pupils, who sat for the 2020 primary national examination.
