Gloria Adhiambo, a young girl of 14, had dreams of uplifting her family from the depths of poverty through academic success.
She attended Nyalgunga Primary School in Alego North, Siaya County, and scored of 389 in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
However, Gloria’s excitement turned to bewilderment when she received an invitation letter to join the Lenana School, a national boys’ school in Nairobi.
This revelation left Gloria and her family bewildered, as they had originally set their sights on prestigious girls’ schools such as Alliance Girls, Kisumu Girls, Rang’ala Girls, among others.
The confusion arose from the mistaken assumption that Lenana School was a girls’ institution.
Gloria’s mother, Margaret Awuor, shared their story with Taifa Leo, revealing the difficult circumstances her family faces.
“My daughter did everything possible to join a national school, but now she might miss a chance in a high school.”
Despite the unexpected twist, Gloria remains undeterred in her pursuit of academic excellence. Her initial goal was to achieve a score of 400 marks, and though she fell just shy of that target, she embraces her impressive 389 marks with pride.
The community rallied behind Gloria and her family, reaching out to the headteacher of Nyalgunga Primary School to rectify the situation.
Assurances from the school leadership indicate their commitment to ensuring Gloria’s educational aspirations align with the opportunities available to her.
Siaya County Director of Education, Mr. Mbugua Kabaki, addressed the situation, stating, “It’s a minor error that will be rectified.” He assured that corrective measures would be taken to ensure Gloria’s educational journey aligns with her aspirations.
