Two underprivileged pupils from Mukuru Kwa Njenga and Kitengela are in danger of missing their spots due to a shortage of school fees just one day before the window for Form One entrance closes.

Petronila Mbinda, who earned 418 in the KCPE examinations last year, was to St. Theresa Girls in Mbooni and was the top student in Embakasi South.

Silas Mumo of Kitengela, who received 417 points, also risks losing his highly desired spot in Oloolaiser High School.


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These two capable but impoverished teenagers are praying for a miracle to allow them to enrol with their high school peers.

"Lulu Hassan is my role model and a journalist," Petronilla explains. "Nilikuwa nasoma kwa bidii ndio niweze kuwa journalist."

"This Monday is tarehe kumi na tatu...nisipoenda shule naona nikirudia darasa la nane," said Mwisho.

Her father is now considering having her retake Class Eight since he has given up on trying to scrape together enough money to send his cherished kid to the next level of her education.

The sentence "Sina uwezo wa kuafford ile shule mtoto ameitwa... Kennedy Mbinda, Petronila's father, stated, "ila sijui kama akirudia atapata ile alama alikuwa amepata kwa kuwa nitakuwa nimemvunja moyo."

He is now pleading with the government to step in and assist him in realizing his daughter's goals.


The late Magoha was "Ningeomba serikali iingilie kati ifuatilie kila mtoto ameenda shule kama vile ilifanyika wakati wa... "Watu wa media hamtafikia wote," he continued. "wazazi wengi tuko na changamoto, sio mimi pekee yangu, sio Mukuru Kwa Njenga bali ni kote Kenya."

Petronila spent the last eight years of her education at a school that desperately needed a makeover. Most slum children's sole educational opportunity is a temporary mabati building.

Felix Mutisya, the head teacher of Mercy Cliff Junior School, remarked, "Hii naweza sema ni kama janga particularly kwa watu kama sisi...tunaishi kwa vitongoji duni na wazazi ambao hawajimudu."

Silas Mumo in Kitengela, Kajiado County, received the very hand. When the KCPE results were published, parents and teachers pulled him up in a photo of him that appeared in one of the local dailies.

His admission was at Oloolaiser High Institution, the only national school in the vast county, after earning an impressive 417 in the KCPE. His future is uncertain due to financial restrictions.

These top performers will soon lose their secondary education spots to others who do better.