Residents of Kamae village are still in high spirits after Mophat Mukinyu, 19, completed his secondary education and sat for the KCSE end-of-course exams.
While finishing high school may appear mundane to most. It is not the case in Kamae village, where youth drop out of school long before the exams are hinted.
According to the area chief, Gichuhi Mwai, there has been an increase in school dropouts among male youth, and the teenager finishing his secondary school education was close to a miracle.
“We are very excited because there are so many others who have dropped out of school due to various reasons, including drug abuse,” Gichuhi Mwai, the area chief said.
The completion was so significant that family, friends, and villagers threw a party long before the results of the recently concluded exams were released, including contributing money to fund the young scholar’s education, depending on whether he gets into a university or a technical institute.
Friends, family, and neighbours were seen dancing joyfully to vernacular gospel music as they celebrated the boy’s triumph in videos obtained by Citizen.Digital.
Among the partygoers was Mukinyu’s former teacher, who said it was unusual in the village to see the ‘boy child’ excelling in school, given the slew of issues that continue to plague the youth, such as peer pressure and drug abuse.
“We are here to celebrate because that is an achievement… if you look at the people he joined Form 1 with, so many things happen, including deaths,” Johnson Mwangi, a teacher said.
Filled with emotions Mophat Mukinyu expressed his gratitude to the well-wishers who pooled their resources to ensure he went through school successfully.
“Kuna wengi tuliingia nao shule lakini wakasema hawaoni umuhimu wa kusoma, wengine hata walifika tu class 8 wakawacha masomo,” Mukinyu said,
He said he had been selling avocados in the area after failing to raise the required school fees before well wishers came to his rescue.
Elsewhere, one of the well-wishers, Isaac Ngigi said the party was an act of showing the boy child the importance of education, hoping that the event will inspire others in the village to pursue an education.
