As the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates join form one, Dinah Nafula one of the best pupils in Lugari Sub County remains a dejected pupil as she cannot join Butere Girls high school due to lack of school fees.
In an exclusive interview with West Media, Nafula who scored 387 marks out of the possible 500 said her chance at the national school may be lost as her family cannot raise her school fees due to abject poverty back home.
According to the 13-year-old who hails from Koromaiti village, Chekalini ward, Lugari Sub County, her joy of passing the examination has now turned into pain as she does not know what to do next.
“I had high hopes of getting into my dream school through sponsorship but I have received negative response from most entities offering scholarships since first priority are usually given to orphans,” Nafula noted.
She called on well-wishers to help pay school fees to achieve her dream of becoming a lecturer.
She reported to school on Monday but they refused to admit her over lack of school fees, uniform and other personal effects.
“I am requesting for well-wishers who can help me achieve my career aspiration of becoming a lecturer help me in paying school fees.
According to the mother Pauline Mukholi, when her daughter passed her examination, she banked her hopes on well-wishers to help raise fees to send her to secondary school.
Her efforts to seek a scholarship from potential sponsors have been futile.
“I am confident my daughter, if given a chance to pursue her education, will get quality grades since she is hardworking and disciplined. I’m appealing for help since her primary education was catered by teachers who looked at her background and saw she had potential to perform,” she noted.
The father, Lawrence Simiyu, fears her chance might be lost.
“I have two children in form two, another one in college and since I don’t have a permanent job, I’m unable to pay her school fees. I am calling upon well-wishers to come on board since she is capable of performing better and achieving her dreams,” he said.
According to Kennedy Okwemba, her teacher at Itumbu primary, the pupil was always number one since joining class one and after realizing her potential, he intervened to sponsor her and ensured she completed her primary education without any problem.
“Nafula is bright but comes from a needy family. She was always in the first position since class one. She got 387 marks and has been called to national school but parents are unable to pay her fees. I urge the community to help in raising school fees for her to continue schooling,” he noted.
