Out of the 1,406 graduands from the Kenya Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) during its 18th graduation, Frida Namuya Makoha from Kakamega County has emerged as the best overall student.
The 26-year-old student who was pursuing a 3-year Diploma in Counselling Psychology received recognition from the Principal Secretary, State Department for Vocational and Technical Training, Ministry of Education, Dr Margaret Mwakima for exemplary achievement.
Dr Mwakima while presenting the certificate of recognition to Namuya congratulated her for determination and showing that one’s background is not a limitation to one’s excelling in life but only a state of mind thus challenging young people in tertiary institutions to strive for the best in line with education.
Miss Namuya was born in a family of 7 siblings and raised from a humble background in Navakholo in Kakamega County, before joining KIST in 2017 with her whole education journey having been through sponsorship.
“The best reward you can actually give to your respective parents, guardians and nation at large from the acquisition of knowledge and skills gained from such an institution which is among the first champions of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), would be to offer exemplary service anywhere you go,” the PS told the graduands.
KIST Deputy Principal in charge of Administration Dr Jane Gitau, said that as an institution, they were proud to be associated with Namuya who is a lady of excellence because since she enrolled at the institution, her performance had been way exemplary in both her internal exams and the final one.
The final exam is usually examined by KNEC and she was able to attain a very strong distinction of 1.4.2.9, she noted.
“This young lady’s education from primary, secondary till tertiary level here at KIST has been on sponsorship by a non-governmental organization (NGO) from coast which is called Hatua Network. We are grateful for them in helping to light up the life of Namuya throughout her education journey”, Dr. Gitau said.
Namuya who was filled with gratitude due to the recognition from the KIST fraternity and the PS education, thanked her parents Agnes Nakhumicha and Reuben Makokha in absentia, who could not make it due to the distance, saying they were her support system.
By Jackline Kidaha
