Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

By Samuel Waititu, KNA

One of the top 10 overall candidates below the age of 16 years in this year’s KCSE examinations skipped two classes for being an above average pupil in primary school besides herding his father’s cows during school holidays.

            Iran Joshua Saitoti from Kajiado County who attended Nyeri Baptist High School posted a mean grade of A- (minus) of 82.684 points missing the A plain grade by less than a mark.

            Speaking to KNA on phone from his home, Saitoti who never expected such a performance said he skipped nursery and pre-unit classes after teachers realised he was an outstanding pupil and took him straight to class one, perhaps explaining why he completed secondary education at the age of 16.

            He said he has never repeated any class since joining Lenchani Primary School in 2008 where he emerged the best Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidate with 368 marks, a fete he has repeated at Nyeri Baptist High School.

            Despite failing to meet the cutline to join the national and extra-county schools of his choice, kept his eye on the ball in his aspiration of becoming a medical doctor to help his rural folks.

            “I did not qualify to join the secondary schools of my choice, but I stayed focused to my dream of becoming a doctor that is now slowly coming to fruition,” an elated Saitoti said.

            The candidate who looks forward to pursue his dream career at Kenyatta University attributes his success to hard work and prayers.

            He said he spent most of his school holiday breaks herding his father’s cows and when time allowed, conducting research in medicine.

            The School Principal, Fredrick Gachau said Saitoti whom he termed as ‘hard working and disciplined,’ has been emerging top of class since joining the school in 2016.

            He said the reserved student who was staunch Christian and a member of the Christian Union, spent most of his time studying since he was not so much into extracurricular activities such as sports.

            The principal however decried dwindling performance of schools in the county in national examinations, noting that the top positions are scooped by learners from other areas.

            “I don’t know what is happening to our learners here, but I think it all boils down to poor upbringing and parenting,” said the Principal.

            “I think parents here have abdicated their role of shaping the lives of their children in the academic field,” Mr. Gachau said as he exonerated schools from the blame.

            He said the trend may not change any time soon unless parents fully take charge of their children’s upbringing.