Football icons Omala, Shikangwa get D- and E grades, respectively in KCSE
Viola Kosome and Fred Likuyani
Football stars Benson Omala and Jentrix Shikangwa performed dismally in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) whose results were released on Monday.
The duo who have enjoyed celebrity status in club football and the national teams, could not transfer their form on the pitch to class, leaving a section of their teachers and parents shocked by their results.
Former Western Stima and Gor Mahia star Omala who recently joined Swedish Division One side FC Linkopig City, managed a D- grade at Kisumu Day where he sat for his exams, while Shikangwa a former Sports Personality of the Year Award (SOYA) award winner who represent Women Premier League side Vihiga Queens and national team Harambee Starlets only managed an E grade at Wiyeta Girls High School in Trans Nzoia County where she sat for her exams.
According to Booker Odhiambo, the Games Master and head coach of Kisumu Day, Omala whom he described as a very disciplined, hardworking and dedicated boy who loved football, looked promising and the school fraternity was shocked by his performance.
In form one and two, the games master said Omalla would perform extremely well as he was among the top students in class and did not miss going to school even once, but he says his performance started dipping in Form Three.
Photo/PD/FRED LIKUYANI
He attributed his dip in performance to the fierce goal getter opting to dedicate much of his time in training than studying.
Tough balancing act
“When we realized that he was not doing well in class like he did before, we came up with methods of ensuring that he balanced his studies and games and we restricted him to go for training after class that was from 4pm to 6:30pm and during the weekend,” he said.
According to his father Peter Oluoch, Omala tried his best in the exams, since he would spend most of his time either playing or practicing.
He said Omala who started playing at the age of 12 while he was at Lake Primary School in Kisumu was a B student but he doesn’t regret or blame his son who is the second born in the family of four children.
“I am lucky at least all my boys are good footballers. The last born, Vincent Oluoch currently plays as a central defender for Western Stima,” the father said.
For Shikangwa, her father Alexander Milimu Kanila said he was shocked with the results as his daughter was always an average student and the least he expected from her was a C grade.
He, however noted that the choice of wether to repeat the exams or not laid squarely on her.
“My daughter has been doing well academically and we remained hopeful she will give us a good grade just like her elder brothers who excelled both in sports and academics but we are very much disappointed as we think on the next step to take,” Kanila told People Sport from his home in Sigalagala, Kakamega County.
He added: “At the moment we want to support and allow her to concentrate on her preparations with the national team, thereafter we will sit down and see how best to handle the issue.
We remember during her KCPE examinations at Shikalakala Primary she scored good marks that enabled her to join Wiyeta.”
