The Kenya National Women’s U17 football team made history by becoming the first national football team from Kenya to qualify for the World Cup. This accomplishment is a source of immense pride for the nation.
However, many of these young athletes are still in school, with a significant number in their final year of high school. This presents a scheduling conflict, as the World Cup will take place from October 16th to November 3rd, overlapping with the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams starting on November 4th.
The girls are also required to attend a training camp prior to their departure for the Dominican Republic, further reducing the time available for their KCSE exam preparations.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has proposed that the girls should focus on their international duties and take the exams at a later date. The federation has assured that no student will be left behind due to the exams. The Kenya U17 squad includes eight Form Four students, such as forward Marion Serenge from Archbishop Njenga Girls High School and right-back Christine Adhiambo from Nyakach Girls High School.
FKF President Nick Mwendwa announced that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Education to allow these students to participate in the World Cup and reschedule their exams to March or another agreed-upon date.
“I spoke to the Minister about it. We are not going to leave any girl behind because of the Form Four examinations. They have worked so hard to go to the World Cup,” said Mwendwa.
He also emphasized the Federation’s commitment to helping the girls keep up with their studies while preparing for the tournament.
“The World Cup comes once in a lifetime, and we can reschedule the exams to March next year. If necessary, we will carry teachers with us to the camp,” he added.
Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche expressed her hope for a positive resolution in a post-match press conference:
“We hope the Form Four students in the team will be able to sit for the examinations later so that they can participate in the World Cup.”
An example of balancing academics and sports can be seen in Spain’s Lamine Yamal, who is participating in the ongoing Euros in Germany while still a student.
The Junior Starlets reached this historic milestone by defeating Burundi with a 5-0 aggregate victory in the final round of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The decisive match took place on Sunday, June 16, 2024, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
