2019 KCPE top performer scores straight A in 2023 KCSE exams
Maureen Wambui Gathondu of Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls celebrates at Kanjuri village in Nyeri County after she scored an A grade of 82 points in the 2023 KCSE examinations.
What you need to know:
- Speaking at her home in Kanjuri village, an elated Maureen Wambui explained how she achieved the remarkable feat.
- Wambui hopes to study medicine and surgery at the University of Cape Town or at the University of Nairobi.
Maureen Wambui had never scored a straight A in her four years in secondary school. But when the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results were released on Monday, the former student at Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School was among the top performers not just in Nyeri County but also countrywide.
Speaking at her home in Kanjuri village on Monday, an elated Wambui explained how she achieved the remarkable feat of an A grade of 82 points.
Wambui emerged the second best candidate at Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School, the top girl, Teresia Njoroge, who scored an A grade of 83 points.
Maureen Wambui Gathondu of Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls celebrates at Kanjuri village in Nyeri County after she scored an A grade of 82 points in the 2023 KCSE examinations.
"Back in school, the highest grade I ever got was an A-minus, which was in Form One during an opening examination," Wambui said, adding that she was an average student who mostly brought home a B grade.
She attributed her success to the sacrifices she made during school and the holidays, explaining that she had learned her study habits, which mainly involved early mornings and late nights.
Her favourite subject was mathematics, which she notes will be one of the subjects that will help her achieve her dream of becoming a doctor when she joins the university.
She hopes to study medicine and surgery at the University of Cape Town or at the University of Nairobi.
Wambui advised all outgoing KCSE candidates to remain vigilant and not give up on their dreams despite the challenges, pointing out that primary school grades don't determine the outcome of one's high school grade.
In this file photo, Maureen Wambui Gathondu (right) and Memory Nduta Kamutu, both of Nyeri Good Shepherd, celebrate their good performance in KCPE on November 19, 2019. Wambui scored 418 marks while Nduta scored 428 marks.
But Wambui was not always an average learner.
"I was one of the top performers in the county in the 2019 KCPE exams with 418 marks, but things changed when I entered high school. I was mentally distracted from my studies, especially during the Covid-19 period in 2020," she said.
Wambui's father, Bishop Gerald Gathondu, describes her as a focused, dedicated and obedient daughter.
Bishop Gathondu said although he knew his daughter was intelligent, he did not expect her to achieve such success.
"Her results came as a big surprise to us because her journey through high school was not easy, something we understood and had to come to terms with," he said.
Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School came in second and was the only school in the district, apart from Kagumo High School, to register a straight A. The school had four A's and 21 A (-) minus.
Kagumo Boys High School had 21 A's and 88 A (-) minus. Over 96 per cent of the 396 students who sat the Kcse examinations qualified to go to university. The top student at the institution had an A plain of 84.
At South Tetu Girls High School, six students received A- (minus) grades.
