Girl who dropped out of Kenya High School to become a hawker excels in KCSE
Margaret Baliseneka, 19, scored an A- minus in the 2023 KCSE examinations despite dropping out of school for a year.
What you need to know:
- Margaret Baliseneka dropped out of school in 2020 in Form Three at Kenya High School and set off on a journey to the unknown.
- Eventually, Baliseneka agreed to return to school and joined Bridgewater Girls High School in Njoro, Nakuru County.
She had given up on secondary school education despite initially being in one of the top-performing schools in the country.
Margaret Baliseneka was a student at the prestigious Kenya High School in Nairobi when she dropped out due to differences between her parents.
She went on to become a hawker and nightclub attendant in Kilifi County, where she did several other menial jobs for a living.
However, she was convinced to return to school a year later and she proved her brilliance by sitting for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in Bridgewater Girls’ High School in Njoro, Nakuru County and excelling to set the stage for her to pursue her dream career.
Ms Baliseneka was among the top performers in the country, posting an impressive mean grade of A- in the 2023 KCSE exams.
She overcame insurmountable odds wandering in the unfamiliar terrain of Kilifi County, after she attempted to escape from the toxic environment of her family in Kakamega County.
She dropped out of school in 2020 in Form Three at Kenya High School and set off on a journey to the unknown. She ended in up the coastal town of Kilifi.
The firstborn child in the family of two felt she had had enough of her parents' unending disagreements, which she says denied her peace of mind.
“I was disturbed by their unending feuds which made my stay at home very uncomfortable. All I wanted was to have a happy family,” Baliseneka recounts.
On arrival in Kilifi, she sought shelter from a random family, which fell for her lies of being an orphan.
From there she began looking for employment and started by working at a construction site for a few days. From her earnings, she saved some money and started hawking sweets.
“For three months I was just selling snacks and fries while staying with the family. I did not care what people thought about me as all I cared for was my life,” she says.
Later she met and befriended someone who worked at an entertainment joint. The friend linked her to her bosses who agreed to employ Baliseneka at the club as a waitress.
“I worked at the club for eight months for a monthly salary of Sh12,000. That was enough for me at that time and I thought I had started my life afresh,” said Ms Baliseneka.
Back home, her parents looked everywhere for her and even reported her disappearance to the police.
The police traced her to the club in December 2021 and arrested her. But before she could be ferried back to Kakamega, her parents were summoned and advised to get the services of a counsellor and seek therapy together with their daughter.
Eventually, Baliseneka agreed to return to school and stay with her aunt in Njoro as her parents resolved their issues.
That is how she was joined Bridgewater Girls High School in Njoro, Nakuru County, where she quickly settled in and sat the 2023 KCSE examinations.
“I was made the head girl in the school and I was greatly motivated to be a role model to other students. I also did a lot of consultations with my teachers as well as held numerous group discussions with my colleagues,” she says.
School Director, Mr Harun Kabiru said teachers and the school community were involved in helping Baliseneka to be reintegrated into the school environment.
“The school supported her in every way. At some point, she wanted to drop out again, but we intervened and ensured she felt comfortable in school,” said Mr Kabiru.
Her diligence and hard work bore fruits when Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced the results on Monday.
“I am grateful to God for the good results, even though I wanted a straight A. I happy because my good grades will help me achieve my goals,” said Baliseneka, who wants to study medicine in university.
The school head lauded Baliseneka for her excellent achievement.
“She has made us proud and we celebrate her efforts,” said Mr Kabiru.
