By Norah Musega
museganorah@gmail.com
As Form One students continue to report to their respective secondary schools across the country, cases of needy students who have reported empty handed are also on the rise this year.
At Kadika Girls High School, Esther Davina Odhiambo, aged 12 reported for admission with an empty box after her parents were unable to afford the requirements for admission and pleaded with the teachers to accept her despite the situation.
“My parents are unable to facilitate my secondary education and I did not want to lose the chance to join Kadika girls for anything and I’m more determined to give it a try and not let the chance go to waste,” said Ms. Odhiambo from Awendo Sub-county in Awendo.
She had only reported to school with a bar of soap, an empty box and a padlock accompanied by her mother, Hellen Auma.
Davina received a letter to join the school after she managed to score 354 marks in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations and was also unable to get any bursary from all quarters.
According to her mother who has been a widow for 12 years after her husband died at a goldmine site, they only had Sh300 which she used as bus fare to Kadika School. She said her health condition cannot allow her do extra work to meet all the family requirements.
Another student from Osingo in Suna East Constituency also reported later to the school barehanded accompanied by her aunt who noted that she was unable to afford any requirements listed by the school and only came to plead with the administration to allow the bright girl secure her chance as she called on well-wishers to come to their aid.
The aunt told Education News that the girl’s parents are alive but both are mentally challenged, something that forced them to make the bold move so as to secure a chance at Kadika Girls.
“I only sell ripe bananas for upkeep,” said the aunt.
Kadika Girls High School Principal, Mrs. Roselyn Ochieng, however accepted to admit them despite their situation and has pleaded with well-wishers to come to her aid.
She also encouraged them to remain focused in education and not their families’ background to succeed in achieving their academic goals despite all the challenges they might go through.
She noted that the school had admitted several students with similar cases especially due to 100% transition directive by the government
