Life, they say, is what you make it, and Anthony Njuguna Muhoro is a living proof of these words, having emerged among the top candidates in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE).
Muhoro was recognized by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha as the best student from a day school after scoring an A of 84.6 points. Unlike the majority of top performers who sat the test in national schools, he dropped out from one- St Patrick's High School, Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet.
The 18-year-old wrote his exam at the Kiamaina Secondary School in Nakuru County, which also emerged as the best sub-county school in the county. Speaking to the media, he explained that he opted out of St. Patrick's barely a year after his admission.
He noted that despite being happy to join the top-performing school, he was unable to raise his tuition fees. On noticing the plight of his family struggling to fund his education, Francis Muhoro's lastborn sacrificed his opportunity to ease his parents from the burden.
Muhoro opted to join a nearby day school, which was cheaper, with his parents only having to provide him with lunch and support throughout the remaining three years.
"I attended the school for one year, but because of financial problems and other challenges. I felt that I should relieve my parents from this burden of paying school fees and attend a day school," the top performer told the media.
Aware of the tribulations at home, he knew that the only way out was to perform exemplary well in school. He buried his head in books, reaping big the fruits of his hard work.
"I come from a very humble background but I did not let that deter me because I knew where I wanted to be and that it would not be determined by where I came from. I thank God for the results," he remarked.
Muhoro's impressive grades only confirmed the obvious, that he was a top performer. When he sat his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) he scored 394 marks, which saw him selected to the national school.
He revealed that he wants to pursue a career in medicine in the university, the same career path preferred by Jariel Obura, the Kenya1 in the 2021 KCSE exam.
Other top-performing students in sub-county schools include Owino Erick ,Nyanza (83.71), Karwiga Clinton (81.449), Achesa Alukoti, Kakamega - (81.237), Diangui Frank Wagura, Central - (79.4), Mulei Kelvin, Nairobi - (79.213), Mukirimia Dennis Mwamburi, Coast (78.256) and Ronald Kipkoech, Rift Valley (74.9) points.
Students can check their results by sending their index number followed by KCSE (in capital letters) to the number 20076 without leaving a space after the index number's last digit and the initials KCSE.
