On Monday, March 28, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha announced the results of the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam, listing top-performing students and the most improved schools.
As candidates across the country continue to celebrate their results, Margaret Pamela Akinyi is content after scoring 301 marks in the national exam.
Akinyi was overwhelmed with joy - she managed to put out a stellar performance despite fighting cancer, which kept her out of school for nearly one year.
"While in school, I would always score above 340 marks but I managed to score 301 in the KCPE exam. I thank God for the marks that he has given me," Akinyi remarked.
She is hopeful that the marks she attained will enable her get admission to her dream school, Pangani Girls' High School in Nairobi. Motivated by her own battles, she revealed that she would want to pursue a career in medicine in the future.
However, Akinyi expressed doubts about whether she would be able to advance to the next level owing to financial constraints. She called on well-wishers to help her not only raise her school fees but also chip in with medical expenses.
"Since I started school, my mother has been struggling with finances and the burden worsened after I was diagnosed. I am pleading for help so that I can continue with my studies and treatment," she implored.
When the 2021 KCPE exam began on March 7, the candidate, who was undergoing chemotherapy at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, had to sum up the little energy left in her to go and sit the exam.
Akinyi is among the pupils who overcame various challenges to post impressive results. Bethany Migosi, emerged as the top student among those with special needs, scoring 417 marks while Mercy Korir, whose leg was amputated, scored 292 marks.
The top student in the five-subject test was Magata Bruce Mackenzie, from Gilgil Hills Academy who scored 428 marks. Coming in second was Makini School's Momanyi Ashley Kerubo who scored 427 marks.
Candidates can access the results through the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) website, SMS platforms, county education offices and the respective schools.
For the SMS option, the candidates should send their index number, followed by the initials KCPE (in capital letters) to 20076 in order to access the results.
