Paul Njoroge Ng'ang'a joined high school as an average student after scoring 288 marks in Standard Eight national exams.
But through sheer hard work and determination, he went on to score the top grade in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
Today, little known Kangui Day Secondary School in Kandara, Murang’a County, is celebrating a student who scored plain A of 84 points in the 2024 examinations.
In 2016, there was nothing spectacular when the fourth born son in a family of six scored what everybody thought was average grades.
Njoroge, who comes from a humble background in Karuku village, was to stay home for almost a year due to lack of school fees before joining Muhoho High School.
With his parents struggling to finance his education, he dropped out of Form Two and went home to take care of his mother who was ill.
“I stayed home for almost two years nursing my mother until she passed on,” he recalls.
After the burial, then deputy principal of Kangui Day Secondary School, who was also his neighbour, convinced him to go back to school where he was enrolled in Form Two in 2022.
Njoroge recalls that at first his performance was poor but motivation from his teachers kept him moving and he continued working hard.
At Form Three, he was sent home again for lack of fees and was out of school for nearly a whole term.
When his teachers realised that he could not afford the fees, yet he had great potential having scored a B before being sent home, they decided to allow him to study for free.
The school also stepped in and helped the student who had difficulties at home as his jobless father could not meet his needs.
The teachers converted a kitchen that was not in use into a room and accommodated him there.
Njoroge, who is among be the top candidates in Murang’a South, is however worried that he might not afford to join the university.
He says his peasant father can’t afford to pay for his fees, which might shatter his dreams.
The school principal, Samuel Ithandi, gave him a bed and bedding. He also instructed the cook to ensure he kept some food for his supper from the lunch served to all students.
“I was inspired by this generosity which gave me a new lease of life. I put all my effort into improving my grades and would wake up at 4 am to study,” he says.
Njoroge, now 22 and could have sat his KCSE exam four years ago, says his resilience has paid off and vows to soldier on.
“I was very frustrated when I sat my KCPE at Gacharage Primary School and got 288 marks. When I joined high school, I was more frustrated and I nearly quit. But I thank God for the focus," he says.
“I have worked really hard to score the 84 points and I am happy. My ambition is to pursue a bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery at the University of Nairobi. I didn't know what my mother was suffering from and it is just the other day I came across the doctor's reports and realised it was cancer. I want to become a doctor so as to help the sick.”
According to the principal, the school has never produced an A since it was established in 1978, describing Njoroge as an aggressive student.
Mr Ithandi said many people saw Paul's potential from afar, one of them was the Kandara sub-County quality and standards officer who urged them to nurture the bright student.
“In Kandara, we have a programme dubbed “Super A Contest” which was started by the quality and standard officer and when Njoroge attended, he beat students from boarding schools and that was when we realised he has potential," he said.
Mr Ithandi said the school faces a lot financial challenges with many students from humble backgrounds.
“We have mobilised each of our 350 students to contribute Sh10 every month so that we can help bright students such as Njoroge so that they can realise their education dreams,” he said.
“We not only use the money to pay fees but also provide food and other items including sanitary towels to needy students. Some students are the hope of their communities as they may be the ones to lift their families out of poverty. Never write off a student even those with low entry marks. As principals and teachers, let's go the extra mile and help them attain their life dreams.”
