KCSE exam brings 26-year-old student closer to dream career

Faith Chebet Ng’etich appears a little more excited about sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam than her classmates.

This is not surprising because Ng’etich, 26, dropped out of school in 2006. Nine years later, she decided to return to school to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. 

The mother of one from Bureti Sub-county, Kericho, was among the 699,745 candidates who started their KCSE exam  yesterday.

She is the oldest in her Form Four class of 55 candidates at Kusumek Mixed Secondary School and is optimistic that she will outshine her classmates in the tests. 

On Friday, she exuded confidence that she will score Grade B+ and above as she has prepared thoroughly. 

Ng’etich, commonly referred to as Mama Kiprop, said hardships and constant ridicule pushed her to return to school and pursue her dreams. 

“I come from a single parent home and we are five in the family. I dropped out of school in 2006 when I was in Form Two at Cheptalai Secondary School. My mother could not afford to provide for my school fees and at the same time, the burden to raising five children alone was too much for her. 

I opted to leave our home in Chesingor village to stay with a relative at Litein town. In 2010, I began selling secondhand clothes but it did not do well and in 2011,  I decided to go back home and this is the year I also got married,” she narrates.

Chase dreams

“In my fourth year of marriage I resolved to go back to school and my decision arose from the ill treatment and verbal abuse I received in my new home,” she adds.

In 2016, the mother of one braved cold and rainy nights to read while during the day she would work as a tea picker to save enough money to take her back to school. 

Her determination and hard work paid off, for in 2017 she was accepted to join Form Two at Kusumek school despite her being 24 years old at the time.

“My desire is to uplift the living standards of my family. I hope to get admission to a teachers college to train as a teacher,” she says. 

Ng’etich is grateful for her husband’s support and financial assistance as she chases her dreams. 

Become empowered

When I am busy with my revision, he takes care of our son and also helps out most of the time and this is something I cannot take for granted,” she says. 

When contacted, her husband Charles Ng’etich said he dropped out of school in Class Seven due to challenges at home and has grown up seeing the importance of education. 

“I dropped out of school in Class Seven because my parents could not afford my education needs. When I met my wife she told me her dreams of going back to school and her desire to become a teacher, I did not object. I have seen those who go to school become empowered and are able to change their lives and their families,” he said.

Her class teacher, Dishon Isait ‘Papa’ described the mother of one as disciplined, focused and serious in her academic pursuit, thereby, making it easy for teachers to couch her towards her dream. 

Despite her age and immense challenges that come with being a mother and a wife, Isait said Ngetich has always topped in her class. 

“Faith Chebet Ng’etich has maintained position one during the period she has been in Form Four with a grade of C+ and is very hopeful of passing the exams with flying colors. She comes to school as early as 6am and leaves after 5pm, she is disciplined as well as committed to her studies,” he said.

Kusumek principal Henry Kipsang Koskey, said he is optimistic that Ngetich will top her class, and urged other girls who drop out of school owing to various challenges to go back to school.

– KNA