A Grade Seven pupil, Christine Ekusi, the hope of joining Junior Secondary School to further her education was dimmed after she was posted to join a school 30 kilometers from home.
14-year-old Christine Ekusi from Lodwar County on Sunday, February 19, revealed that she opted to drop out as her medical condition did not allow her to attend school every day.
Ekusi has just one leg and has been using crutches to move about for the past four years. However, she is unable to walk to and fro her junior secondary school every day.
She appealed to well-wishers to help her continue with school by either providing transport for her or paying her school fees.
“Using crutches to walk 30 kilometers is painful and hurts my hands. I am calling on anyone to help me get back to school so that I can achieve my dream of becoming a doctor,” she told Citizen TV.
As she displayed her blistered hands, Ekusi regretted performing well in the Grade Six examination, which earned her admission to Komboni JSS, which offers boarding facilities.
Her parents could not afford to pay school fees, which forced her to become a day scholar. Her mother admitted to asking her to count her losses and stay home.
“We barely have food and she has other siblings. There is no one to assist her to get to school, so we made the decision to have her stay back home,” she stated.
Meanwhile, her classmates whom she attended school with at Katapakori Primary continued with their education at the JSS in the same institution.
Ekusi is among thousands of students yet to report to their respective junior secondary schools despite the government providing capitation.
On January 16, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced that the government would pay Ksh15,000 per learner.
CS Machogu explained that the government had set aside Ksh9.6 billion to ensure a 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school.
