By Benedict Ng’etich
The ramrod-straight gaited Elijah Kipng’etich Tuei is a student whose inner resolve in life will definitely lead to a bright future. Due to his discipline and leadership skills, he was chosen to be a class representative at the magnificent Tunoiyot Day Secondary School of Silibwet in Bomet County.
The form one student attracted the attention of many during a Parents’ Day event where he exhibited an extraordinary innovation, a curved replica of a sub-machine gun, complete with telescopic lenses. The gun is painted in black just like those handled by the military.
Tuei says he fancies his toy so much so that he carries it everywhere and keeps it in his bedroom while asleep.
“While in class, I hung my gun on the window but while at home, I keep it near my bed. It cannot fire bullets and I am always advancing ways to upgrade it,” says the proud innovator.
His biggest motivation for designing the machine gun, is his desire to one day join the police service or the military.
“I hope to become a policeman or an army man, and this wooden gun reminds me of my ambition,” he said.
The boy, who has eight siblings had one time dropped out of school sue to challenges of paying for school fees. He however managed to resume after the school management, who had seen his potential, made some local arrangements with his parents.
According to the school Principal Mr. Kipngetich Mutai, the management acted swiftly to salvage the education of the boy by employing his father within the school to execute manual labour.
“We knew we were going to lose this humble and disciplined boy due to lack of school fees. So we sat down and came up with the idea of employing the parent on a casual basis. He assists in the kitchen and also as a grounds man. We pay him a small amount and retain some which goes towards school fees for Elijah. The arrangement has worked well so far,” he reveals.
However, the principal still welcomes any potential well-wishers to assist the determined boy to enable him pursue his dreams and to assist his siblings as well.
The Principal says the school took notice of his design and encouraged him to pursue it adding that; “We saw it was not a dangerous innovation so we let him improve it and we still give him all the moral support.”
Mr. Mutai says Tuei was chosen as a Class Representative for exhibiting discipline, hard work and leadership skills.
The Principal says Tumoiyot, which has a population of 214 students and 11 teachers with only five employed by the Teachers Service Commission is proud of the boy’s innovation.
He says the school needs more teachers of Mathematics, Biology and Agriculture, adding that the Board of Management had done its best by employing six teachers but their efforts were curtailed by limited funds.
The day school which was ranked seventh out of the 47 schools in Bomet East Constituency is soon to be a force to reckon in academic excellence as it was also ranked the second most improved school in Bomet East.
The school which targets a mean grade of 5.3 was also ranked second in Chemistry in the Sub-county and eight in mathematics.
The principal calls for support to construct more classrooms, a twin laboratory and an administration block.
The school was started in 2014 and is sponsored by the Catholic Church.
The Bomet County KNUT Secretary Mr. Malel Langat says the school has a bright future academically due to the dedication by staff, students and cooperation from the parents. The official called on schools to nurture talents which were now paying.
He also promised support to the school and appealed to the government to post more teachers to the institution.
