Dennis Omondi determination to become special needs teacher forced him to take the Kenya certificate of primary education exam (KCPE) at the age of 32.
He joined class 7 at Kibos Primary School in 2008 at the age of 31 after he decided to become a special needs education (SNE) teacher following an accident that turned him blind in 2000.
The 48-year-old SNE graduate from Maseno University dropped out of school in 1994 after scoring 36 marks in KCPE out of the possible 700.
According to Omondi, his late mother tried to persuade him to repeat for better grades, but he decided to join Kisauni polytechnic, where he also dropped out for lack of school fees.
He trained in painting works at a garage in Aldina Mombasa County and later secured a maintenance job in a hotel in Nyali, where, in 1999, an accident cost him his eyesight.
Omondi failed to properly secure his spray gun handle, which disintegrated from the bucket and hit the ground as he tried to save it, splashing into his eyes.
Three months later, he was declared blind, and for five years, Omondi was in denial and held onto hopes of regaining his sight.
In 2000, Omondi joined the Holy Ghost Coptic Church of Africa led by Rev. John Pesa, and for 21 years, he embarked on a journey to pray for his eyesight to recover.
ALSO READ:
Learning institutions, student number surge amid quality fears
His visits to eye clinics at Lions Mobile Clinic in Kisumu, light house in Mombasa, Thogoto eye clinic in kikuyu, Russia in Kisumu, and Sabatia eye clinic in Kakamega bore no fruit.
“My aunt took me to Machakos Institute for the Blind around September 2003 for rehabilitation. I found so many others who were blind, including teachers, and it gave me hope. I was trained on how to walk and do minor menial jobs, including cooking,” said Omondi.
For 2 years, Omondi learnt tannery and leatherwork and specialized in shoemaking, and after graduating in 2005, he returned to Mombasa and started booming shoe repair and polishing venture at kongowea market with his colleague.
However, in the post-election violence, he lost his tools and closed down. Frustrated, Omondi returned to his home church in Kisumu and decided to go back to school.
He said that in 2008, he joined kibos primary school in class seven at 31 years old, and with his efforts and discipline, he proceeded to class eight, where he scored 275 marks in the 2000 KCPE.
In 2013, Omondi scored a C minus in KCSE and joined Maseno University to pursue diploma in special and inclusive education. He scored a credit.
The university could not issue him with a Teachers Service Commission number because he did not score a C plain, which is a requirement for teachers.
ALSO READ:
Mother’s Day: Why schools must honour teachers’ maternity rights
Determined, Omondi followed TSC advice to pursue a degree to qualify to be registered as a teacher. In 2016, he enrolled for a degree at Maseno University, applied for a HELB loan, and received a bursary from the national council for persons with disabilities (PWDs), which enabled him to pay fees for the degree programme.
In 2021, Omondi finally graduated with a second degree with upper honors with specialization in music and Christian religious education, but still, the TSC number remained elusive.
And despite being posted by the public service commission through the ministry of education on one-year internship, working in customer care at the ministry of education office in Likoni sub-county, Omondi remains uncertain about ever becoming a recognized teacher.
By Our reporter
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
