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Kwale top student unable to join secondary school for lack of fees

13-year-old Ngowa Nyawa who scored 341 marks in the 2023 KCPE. (Mishi Gongo)

By Mishi Gongo | Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The family appeals to well-wishers and the government for support in enabling their son to realize his dreams.

As the schools prepare to close for the April holidays, a 13-year-old boy in Kwale County, who achieved a remarkable score of 341 marks in the 2023 KCPE exam, is unable to join high school due to financial constraints.

Even before the exam results were released, Ngowa Nyawa knew that he wouldn't be able to continue with his education due to the financial hardships his family faces.

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As the third-born in a family of eight children with unemployed parents, Nyawa is accustomed to missing out on the most basic necessities that his peers take for granted. After the exams, he immediately began assisting his father in providing for his siblings.

Nyawa, hailing from Milalani, hopes to attend Kwale High School. "I'm happy about my exam results, but without a scholarship, I won't be able to pursue my secondary school education. While my peers attend school, I've been assisting my father throughout the term," Nyawa said.

Expressing his aspirations to become a banker, Nyawa said, "It's disheartening to think that all my hard work might go to waste if I don't find a sponsor. I can't blame my parents, I know they want the best for me, but they simply can't afford it."

Nyawa's mother, Esther Nyawa, shared their family's struggle, stating, "We're pleased with our son's achievement, but it's painful knowing we can't support his dreams of becoming a banker. We barely manage to put food on the table, let alone afford his school fees. No mother wants to see her children go hungry or without basic necessities."

Despite reaching out to well-wishers for assistance, they received a meager sum of Sh4,000, insufficient even for purchasing school uniforms.

The family appeals to well-wishers and the government for support in enabling their son to realize his dreams.

"I believe education is our ticket out of poverty. Nyawa has always been our beacon of hope," Esther said, hopeful for assistance in securing her son's future.