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| The 2012 KCPE top candidate Joy Kathure Kinoti from Fred’s Academy in Meru celebrates together with her parents and teachers at her school ground on January 28, 2013. |
Pupils on Monday talked of the secrets behind their success as song and jubilation rent the air in their former schools.
There were celebrations at the Fred’s Academy in Imenti North District, Meru County moments after Education minister Mutula Kilonzo announced that the school had produced the best candidate nationally.
Kinoti Joy Kathure was on Monday declared last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam top candidate having scored 430 marks out of the possible 500.
Her secret to success which saw her become the top nationally was “hard work, determination and ambitions grounded on lots of prayers”.
“I focused on consulting where I did not understand, reading widely and praying to God that I succeed in whatever aspirations I have,” said the 14-year-old during an interview with the Nation at her school which on the Meru-Isiolo Highway.
She said she was still trying to come to terms with the news which she heard on television.
When the Nation arrived at the school, teachers, friends and neighbours had already arrived to catch a glimpse of the last born in a family of three daughters.
They broke into song and dance at the academy compound hoisting her on their shoulders.
She also attributed her performance to the combined efforts of her parents, teachers, pupils and the school administration.
“I knew I would pass, but not by this magnitude. I thank my family, friends and the whole Fred’s fraternity for the massive support and encouragement,” said Kathure whose favourite subjects were Mathematics and English.
“I knew I would pass, but not by this magnitude. I thank my family, friends and the whole Fred’s fraternity for the massive support and encouragement,” said Kathure whose favourite subjects were Mathematics and English.
She hopes to join Alliance Girls High School and become an engineer in the future.
Her parents Jotham and Mary Kinoti, who are teachers at Kaaga Boys High School and the Kaaga School for the Mentally Challenged Children respectively, said their last born daughter was an obedient child whose determination to succeed was unmatched.
Sacrificed resources
“We have listened to her and sacrificed the little resources we had to ensure she did her best. She has always maintained position one to five since she started her nursery education,” said the 55-year-old Mr Kinoti.
Mrs Kinoti said Kathure’s positive attitude in life played a critical role in her exemplary performance.
She described her daughter as self driven and a hard working child who was always keen to succeed.
“It is very important that parents give their children a listening ear any time they need us and counsel them in a manner that depicts that we are conscious of their abilities,” said the highly excited 48-year-old.
Fred’s Academy Director Fredrick Mutwiri attributed the exceptional performance of his school to the concerted efforts of the school board of governors, parents, teachers and candidates.
Elsewhere, both Boniface Mwaura and Njomo Wachira always knew they would perform well in the Kenya Certificate of Primary School Education examination.
But they could not — in their wildest dreams — imagine that they would emerge in the top bracket in the whole country in the exams, whose results were released on Monday by Education minister Mutula Kilonzo.
Even though they were in different schools, Wachira in Uthiru Genesis Primary School and Njomo in Utafiti Primary School — both all in Kiambu County — scored 430 marks, beating the remaining 811,927 pupils who undertook the exams.
On Monday, their schools burst into song and dance immediately the results were announced, to celebrate their good work.
At Uthiru Genesis Primary, whose motto is “Academic excellence our ultimate goal”, Wachira was hoisted shoulder high by his former school mates and teachers, with others waving twigs as they danced to various Christian tunes. Others simply chanted: “Yes we can”.
The joint top students said he was elated beyond his wildest dreams.
“I was at my grandmother’s house in Limuru waiting patiently to hear the results,” he said.
“It is true that I expected to perform well in these exams, but I did not know that I will be one of the best in the whole republic. I attribute my success to hard work, support from both my parents and trust in God,” said the 15-year-old boy who wants to be a neurosurgeon.
His mother Mrs Esther Njomo said this was just the beginning of a long journey for his son, but was glad that he had successfully made the first major step.
The same scenario was also replayed at Utafiti Primary school, with pupils, their teachers and parents singing Christian hymns, in celebration of the results.
According to Mrs Leah Mwaura, the candidate’s mother, his son undertook the exams under very difficult circumstances.
“He had fallen down and broken his leg. He did his exams with plaster cast. But we are glad of the outcome,” said Mrs Mwaura, who was accompanied by his husband David.
