Christine Kavale, a student with cerebral palsy at Thika Technical Training Institute, is finally on the verge of graduating after a three-year battle with a single exam unit that threatened to erase years of hard work.
Kavale, who uses a wheelchair and operates both her phone and laptop entirely with her mouth, enrolled at the institution in 2019 to study Human Resources Management.
She completed her certificate level and progressed to diploma studies in 2023, passing most units with distinction along the way. One unit, however, became an immovable obstacle.
Why Kavale found it hard doing the mathematics unit
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) referred Kavale in the Quantitative Techniques unit as far back as July 2023.
The subject requires candidates to solve complex mathematical problems that carry the bulk of the marks available.
Because Kavale writes using her mouth, she could only attempt theory-based questions worth a maximum of five or six marks, leaving the rest of the paper out of reach.
She sat the unit four times across consecutive exam series, receiving a referral each time.
When she reached out for help, she explained that the final KNEC series at her institution was scheduled for July and that exam registration had already closed, making one more attempt impossible without intervention.
“I have visited KNEC offices several times on my own to seek help on the same with neither positive response nor hope of help,” she wrote in a plea shared publicly. “If I don’t get help, that means I will neither get the certificates I have really struggled to work hard for since 2019 nor graduate.”
A graduation ceremony had already taken place in March this year without her.
Disability Advocate Steps In, KNEC Responds
Her written plea caught the attention of disability advocate Jonathan Metet, who came across her case through NCP-CDK Nairobi County.
Speaking to Newsunplug.co.ke, Metet said he contacted her directly, gathered more details and then escalated the matter to KNEC’s Disability Mainstreaming Unit.
“I called her for more information before I contacted KNEC. I also shared her number with KNEC. I reached out to my colleague in Disability Mainstreaming Unit at KNEC. One of the Senior Examinations Officers in Disability Mainstreaming Unit called me to give feedback. The good news is her case has been considered and she will get her certificate,” he shared.
He specifically credited KNEC’s Dickens Ogony for taking ownership of the matter and working with his seniors to push it through the relevant department.
“I sincerely appreciate Dickens Ogony and his seniors at KNEC and the entire KNEC Team for taking up the matter and working towards its resolution. This is what Disability Inclusion and advocacy should look like. When barriers arise, relevant institutions must step in, take responsibility and ensure that no learner is unfairly denied the opportunity to complete their education,” Metet said.
Kavale’s long-awaited graduation is now within reach.
