Top KCSE candidate Jeriel Ndenda Obura to pursue medicine
Top KCSE candidate Jeriel Ndeda Obura (garlanded) celebrates with family, friends and relatives in Lupuguiyu village,Mbale, Vihiga County, yesterday.
The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam champion hopes to study medicine.
Jeriel Ndenda Obura, 19, of Mang’u High School, attained an A of 87.17 mean score to emerge the best nationally out of 826,807 candidates.
Mr Ndeda told the Sunday Nation medicine will enable him to give back to the community in a region where access to quality healthcare remains a challenge.
“My passion has always been to pursue medicine. I am passionate about finding solutions to healthcare problems and at the same time make healthcare accessible to communities within Vihiga County, where I was raised, and the country at large.
“The cost of healthcare in Kenya is very high and I strongly believe I will use my medical degree for research to make a difference,” he said.
Mr Ndeda—the fourth-born in a family of six—said he never expected to emerge the top student nationally because there were other better students at Mang’u High School.
Top student nationally
“I was equally surprised when the news broke that I was the top student nationally; I never saw it coming as there were better students than me, but one thing I knew is that I had given it my best.”
He credits his success to God, his parents and the management of the school that he says gave every candidate an equal opportunity to learn.
“Mang’u High School offered us equal learning opportunities. There was a lot of teamwork by our principal, teachers and non-teaching staff. We gave it our best and I appreciate the grace and support that I received from my parents and God,” Mr Ndenda said.
His father, Mr Musa Obura, said he was proud of his son, who, he added, was determined to succeed from the onset. But he never imagined he would emerge tops nationally.
“I knew Ndeda would perform well given his previous performance, especially in his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam where he scored 428 but never imagined he would make it to number one nationally.
“We thank God for his grace, as well as his teachers and the management of Mang’u High School for giving him a friendly environment,’’ said Mr Obura.
The boy’s mother, Caroline, was equally elated.
Kiambu County
Meanwhile, Loreto High School, Limuru, which had over 20 candidates scoring a mean Grade of A plain and A minus, was among the best performing schools in Kiambu County.
The top students included June Herine (A), Elizabeth Muthoni (A), Angella Sally (A), Clare Wairimu (A), Phylis Otieno (A), Natasha Njeri (A), Everlne Wangari (A), and Angella Sally (A).
The others were Sharly Moraa (A-), Veronica Aduol (A-), Abigael Wangechi (A-), Sandra Nekesa (A-), Gakii Mugambi (A-), Stacey Wanjiru (A-), Ann Wangari (A-), Stacey Ogombe (A-), Diana Chebet (A-), and Achieng Okoth (A-).
Chief Principal Eunice Njenga attributed the success to support from the Ministry of Education, parents and students and other education stakeholders.
