It’s dream come true for past years’ KCPE top achievers

Some wanted to be engineers; others pilots. A career in the medical field was also fancied by the top achievers in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations in years gone by.

But where are they now?

The Sunday Nation has been following up on the progress of top KCPE achievers for the last 10 years to see if the trajectory of their lives has been as promising as their Standard Eight grades showed.

Catriona Akinyi Onyango, who was the best girl in KCPE 2008 with 454 marks, later joined Alliance Girls and according to a 2013 result sheet after a mathematics contest from the University of Nairobi (UoN), she was among the 20 best mathematicians at the school.

MEDICINE

Peter Kamenju Njoroge, who was the best candidate in the 2009 KCPE exam with 438 marks, is now studying medicine at UoN.

He is on course to join the profession of his parents as his father is a physiotherapist while his mother is a clinical officer.

The second best candidate in 2009 was Oonge Rabin Isaac with 435 marks. He is also pursuing medicine at UoN since 2015. After KCPE, he said he wanted to be a neurosurgeon.

The best girl in KCPE 2009, Imali Joy Asena, who managed 434 marks, joined the UoN School of Law in 2015.

In 2012, there were two top students with 430 marks each.

One of them, Mwaura Boniface Kiongo, performed fairly well in the KCSE examination in 2016, scoring an A- from Alliance High School.

The Sunday Nation tracked some KCPE top achievers in previous years for updates on how they are faring.

Sandra Rugaita – 447 marks (2008)

She was ranked among the top KCPE performers a decade ago.

At that time, she already knew she wanted a career that would enable her travel the world.

Though she deviated from her earlier passion of becoming an international journalist, the bubbly 23-year-old is already on course to becoming a lawyer and wishes to one day work for the UN.

Sandra sat her KCPE at Freds Academy in Meru County in 2008 and was admitted to Loreto High School before joining University of Nairobi where she pursued a law degree.

The Sunday Nation was unable to reach her as she was sitting her bar exams this week, but her mother Wairimu Rugaita, a prominent Embu lawyer, talked highly of her gifted daughter.

“She is now sitting her bar exams at the Kenya School of Law. She has followed in the footsteps of her parents. She wants to chart her own path and is interested in pursuing a career with the UN. We will allow her to scout the world,” she said on the phone.

An ardent traveller, Sandra was exposed to touring the world at an early age.

When she spoke with the Nation after the KCSE 2012 results were announced, she was at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after touring the United States.

Eugene Muthomi – 432 marks (2009)

He emerged the best KCPE candidate in the then Eastern Province and ninth nationally in 2009.

At the moment, he is a fourth year student at the UoN’s School of Medicine. He was at Alliance High for his secondary school studies, where he scored a straight A in the 2013 KCSE exam.

After his strong showing in KCPE, Mr Muthomi said he would like to become a computer specialist.

“I would wish to become a computer scientist to help Africa catch up with the rest of the world in development,” he said then.

Speaking to the Sunday Nation on the phone on Friday, Muthomi said he changed his career preference while in high school.

“It is true I had wanted to be a computer engineer but when I went to high school, I found biology and chemistry more fascinating. This is when I decided to become a doctor. Being a doctor is more fulfilling because it has a bigger impact on the community. There are many people in the community who do not have access to quality health services,” he said.

He expressed his excitement by the fact that he is pursuing a medicine degree alongside some of the students who topped in KCPE in his year.

“Peter Kamenju, who was the top candidate nationally in KCPE in 2009, is also my classmate. It feels good to be in the same class with the top performers,” he said.

Besides studying medicine, Mr Muthomi has been giving back to the community by teaching chess to primary school children.

Mutinda Lorna Mugambi – 430 marks (2011)

She went on to join Kenya High where she scored a straight A and is currently pursuing a degree in medicine at the University of Nairobi.

Otieno Akoth Daphne – 444 marks (2013)

Daphne wanted to pursue a career in medicine, a dream she had since childhood.

In 2014, she joined Alliance Girls’ High School and sat KCSE exam in 2017, scoring a mean grade of A.

“Back then, I wanted to be a doctor. But currently, I’m pursing civil engineering at UoN. I’m a first year student,” said the 18-year-old.

She added: “When you are young, there are so many expectations. As you grow up, you broaden your intelligence and therefore your perspective also changes.”

She said her passion changed with time.

“I settled on a career path I was comfortable with and not the societal expectations,” she said.

“I could do medicine but still not be happy with it or drop out in the middle of it. But if you pursue a course you are really into, it will definitely work out,” added Daphne.

Victor Oduor Odhiambo – 437 marks (2016)

He topped the KCPE charts nationally in 2016 and joined Starehe Boys’ Centre.

Two years later, Odhiambo remains undeterred in his quest to attain his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon.

He said his parents have been experiencing financial difficulties but that has not dampened his spirit.

“I’m determined to push my resolve to the end. I have the best opportunity to make a big difference in my life and I do not want to be distracted by challenges along the way,” said Victor.

His mother Caroline Achieng is hopeful that her son will achieve his dream.

“I know the times have been tough and challenging but I continue encouraging him to do his best and make us proud,” said Ms Achieng.

Aengwo Kiplagat – 431 marks (2016)

His marks made him the top candidate in Baringo County in 2016. He was admitted to Kapsabet Boys’ High School in Nandi County.

When the Sunday Nation caught up with the now Form Two student at his home in Kaptimbor in the outskirts of Kabarnet town, he was confident that he will achieve his dream.

“I have not changed my mind on achieving my dream of becoming an aeronautical engineer. I know my hard work will take me places,” said the confident teen.

He said that he scored an A minus in his end-year examination and emerged fourth out of more than 340 candidates.

“The sky is the limit for me and I promise that I will keep my candle burning. My prayer is to emerge the best candidate in my KCSE examination in 2020,” he added.

Reporting by Elvis Ondieki, David Muchui, C. Wanyoro, Florah Koech, E. Ojina, B. Amadala and Magati Obebo.