Students from poor families in Malindi Sub County have appealed to well-wishers to help them secure their form-one places in the secondary schools they have been called to join.
Some of them missed out on various scholarships offered by the national government, the County Government of Kilifi, and various private organizations, and are at the brink of missing their opportunities to pursue education and their dream careers.
Among the students is Issa Ali, a former member of the proscribed Good News International Church that used to be pastored by controversial doomsday preacher Paul Mackenzie, who is facing different charges in four courts within the Coast region.
Ali, whose parents are believed to have died in Shakahola, left Mackenzie’s church in 2020 and, with the help of relatives, joined St. Andrews Primary School where he sat his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE last year and scored 259 marks.
The church taught against formal education, forcing its members to abandon school while those who have already obtained certificates burnt them.
“I was a member of the Good News International Church but I abandoned the faith in 2020 and returned to school,” he told reporters at the Malindi law courts. “I sat the KCPE examinations last year and was called to join Barani Secondary School in Malindi town, but I do not have the means since both my parents died in Shakahola,” he said.
Gasper Safari, who sat his KCPE at Airport Primary School in Malindi town and scored 348 marks has so far raised Sh510, to assist his parents in buying uniforms and other items for him as they secure his fees.
The 15-year-old third born in a family of ten children hawks roasted groundnuts alongside his parents to put food on the family’s table and journalists found him at their Ganda home assisting them to sort and package the nuts.
He said he had been called to join St. Mary’s High School, Ukwala in Siaya County, but the family was unable to raise the Sh40,000 required as well as school uniform and other items.
His mother, Lois Baruwa said the family was unable to enable his son to join even a local day school since two of her children who are in secondary school are frequently being sent away from school.
“Even if our son manages to get a day school within Malindi, we will not be able to send him to that school because of our low financial state,” she said and appealed to well-wishers to come to the family’s rescue.
On Thursday last week, Gasper walked to Barani Secondary School armed with his result slip and in-home clothes to seek admission.
Touched by the youngster’s plight, two teachers Linet Khamati and Rachel Wamocha looked for journalists to highlight the matter so the boy could take his position at St. Mary’s Ukwala.
Gasper can be reached through Ms Wamocha at Barani Secondary School, phone number 0720290813.
On her part, Elizabeth Dama Hamadi, 15, spends her time making beaded leather sandal straps to assist her mother, who sells them to leather sandal makers in Malindi town.
Elizabeth, who scored 359 marks at Ganda Primary School, would have joined Baraza Secondary School in Machakos, but her single mother cannot afford the Sh40,000 required, her uniform and fare to the school.
She is appealing for assistance to pursue her education and become a medical doctor to assist the community.
She can be reached through Mr. Mwangala, the Head Teacher at Ganda Primary School, Cellphone number 0724084968.
By Emmanuel Masha and Stella Kanini
