At the age of 14, Gloria Adhiambo harbored dreams of elevating her family from the clutches of poverty through academic success. Her educational journey began at Nyalgunga Primary School in Alego North, Siaya County, culminating in an impressive score of 389 in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
However, Gloria’s elation took an unexpected turn when she received an invitation letter to join Lenana School, a nationally recognized boys’ school in Nairobi. This revelation left both Gloria and her family bewildered, as their original aspirations were focused on prestigious girls’ schools like Alliance Girls, Kisumu Girls, Rang’ala Girls, and others. The confusion stemmed from the erroneous assumption that Lenana School was an institution for girls.
Gloria’s mother, Margaret Awuor, shared their story with Taifa Leo, shedding light on the challenging circumstances her family faces. She expressed concern that Gloria might miss an opportunity for high school, despite her daughter’s efforts to secure a place in a national school.
Nevertheless, Gloria remains steadfast in her pursuit of academic excellence. Although her initial goal was to achieve a perfect score of 400 marks, she embraces her impressive 389 marks with pride.
The community rallied behind Gloria and her family, mobilizing support to rectify the situation. They reached out to the headteacher of Nyalgunga Primary School, who, in turn, assured them of the school’s commitment to addressing the issue. Assurances from the school leadership conveyed a determination to align Gloria’s educational aspirations with the available opportunities.
Siaya County Director of Education, Mr. Mbugua Kabaki, addressed the situation, describing it as a minor error that would be rectified. He reassured Gloria and her family that corrective measures would be taken to ensure her educational journey aligns seamlessly with her aspirations.
