By Gilbert Ochieng
A 19 year old girl who sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in Busia County scoring a mean grade of B + (plus) has gone on a hunger strike over failure of her parents to raise the required fee to join university.
Narrating her predicament to Education News at their Sifwoma village home in Bunyala west location, Budalang’i Constituency, the girl, Mercy Adhiambo formerly a student at St. Monica Chakol Girls High School in Teso said she opted to go on hunger strike after her parents failed to raise Sh50,000 that would have enabled her to join Machakos University where she had been admitted to pursue a Bachelor of Education Science course.
“I am so much distressed because the chances of joining the campus to pursue my dream course are very slim considering that my parents are unable to raise the required fees to the tune of Sh50,000 for semesters one and two. I am therefore desperately appealing to well-wishers to support me,” said the distraught student.
The mother, Mwamin Akinyi aged 60 and a mother of six who is a fishmonger at Port Victoria fish market on her part expressed concern over her daughter’s refusal to eat food.
“My daughter has boycotted food because we are unable to raise the exorbitant amount of money required for semesters one and two. Apart from boycotting the food, our daughter has also threatened to commit suicide should she fail to join the university. I am therefore appealing to any well-wisher to support us,” she said.
The student satisfied the examiners who awarded her a mean grade of B + (plus) after she scored a B – in English, B + in Kiswahili, A – in Mathematics, B – in Biology, B + in Physics, B – in Chemistry, B + in Geography and an A – in Christian Religious Education.
To reach them for any support or information, please contact the following phone numbers:
The student’s phone number: 0790-513934
Mother’s phone number: 0114-774626
Reporter’s phone number: 0726-264153
