NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 — Three students from the Bridge Academy in Nairobi’s Kwa Njenga have overcome all challenges of growing in one of city’s largest slum, to score above 400 marks in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
With the marks, the three pupils are each set to secure a slot in a national school, where they pursue their secondary education.
One of the students is Joyce Kemunto, who has scored 401 marks.
The 15-year-old from Tassia Community and has been a pupil at Bridge Kwa Njenga, Nairobi County for 8 years.
“I am very happy for these results,” she told Capital News.
While she worked hard to attain the marks, she said her teachers, whom she said very professional, friendly, and approachable, played a pivotal role.
She lives with both her parents in one of the largest slums in Nairobi.
Her father who works as a casual labourer is their main sole provider because her mother is unemployed.
She had to walk to school every day for approximately one hour, just to secure herself quality yet affordable education.
“I thank God for this. I did it,” an excited Kemunto said.
Her favourite subject is Science because it gives her the opportunity to understand nature.
In preparation for her exams, she has been doing lots of revision and interaction with teachers to speculate where the KCPE questions are likely to come from.
She hopes to join her dream school, the Alliance Girls High School.
She hopes her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon will one day come to pass.
“A lot of people incur heavy expenses going to India for treatment. If I become a neurosurgeon, I will help address that,” she said.
Florence Kwamboka was at the Bridge Kwa Njenga school and scored an impressive mark in the 2021 KCPE.
Kwamboka lives with her mother who runs a shop. Her father, who is the main breadwinner, works as a security guard.
“I am so happy to have made my parents and school proud. I thank God for the results,” she said.
She did not live far from the school as it only took her roughly 10 minutes to get there.
She was the Vice President of her school. Her favourites subject was Mathematics.
“I just love numbers and calculating,” she told Capital News.
She aspires to be an architect in the future, with one of her favourite building in the world being the Taj Mahal in Northern India.
Their colleague, Edwine Oduory 402 marks in the 2021 KCPE.
He has been a pupil at Bridge Majengo Mapya Academy Mombasa County for 7 years.
The last born in a family of 6 children said Bridge has teachers who are more of mentors to him.
“I attained quality education at Bridge,” he said, adding that,” I will now be able to pursue my higher education at a good school.”
He dreams of becoming a Medical Scientist because, “there are a lot of viruses breaking out these days that don’t have a cure and I would love to be part of the research team and discover different medicines and vaccines.”
