Needy students appeal for help to raise fees to join Form One
George Kebaso, David Musundi and Christine Musa
Four pupils, who are supposed to report for Form One admission today, may miss the chance for lack of school fees.
Hopes of Jane Epeyon, from Laikipia, of joining Form One appear slim as her mother is unable to raise the Sh16,750 fee for first term at St June’s High School in Nanyuki where she got admitted.
When the People Daily visited Jerusalem Manyatta where the 16-year-old girl, who scored 304 marks from Jane Goodall Academy last year, lives as a squatter with her family, there were no signs that Epeyon would report to school today.
“I aspire to become a doctor. People in my village are suffering from malaria and water-borne-related diseases. If I had an opportunity to continue with my studies, these are the challenges that I would like to address in future,” she said.
“My daughter did well in her KCPE exam last year. No sponsor has come by. I don’t have money for school fees. Besides the school fees, we need Sh30,000 for her shopping. I don’t know if she will go to school,” said the mother of six.
This situation is replayed in Bungoma where two top Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam candidates may miss admission at national schools for lack of fees with one of them even offering to sell his kidney to pay fees.
Lack of fees is standing in the way of Samuel Mulinya and Isaiah Wanjala Wanyonyi who scored 402 and 394 marks respectively, pursuing education.
Mulinya was selected to join Friends School Kamusinga Boys in Bungoma while Wanjala was admitted to Chewoyet Boys National School in West Pokot.
By yesterday, Wanjala’s parents had no hope of raising the Sh70,000 plus fee required. Wanjala, 17, told the People Daily that he had only managed to raise Sh1,500 after he sold his three chickens.
Lose hope
Mulinya, a former pupil at Tumaini Primary School in Cherangany wants to become a pilot. “I am starting to lose hope in life. My dream will not come to pass if someone doesn’t come to my rescue soon,’’ he said.
His father Samson Juma says he is currently supporting three other children in university and is unable to cater for Mulinya’s fees
In Kajiado, 14-year-old Shadrack Mithamo Wachira, who scored 416 marks, is appealing to well wishers to fund his secondary education.
Wachira, who was a pupil at Athi-River Public Primary School, says he may not be able to join Form One as his mother Eunice Mbithe, who depends on manual jobs to fend for the family, cannot afford the fees.
