Meet 35-Year-Old Mother Who Attained University Entry Grade In 2022 KCSE Exams Despite All Odds
Among the Kenyans celebrating the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results is a 35-year-old mother of two.
At the Nacace Adult Secondary School, Mercy Chepkurui attained a grade of C+.
Chepkurui, who is also a widow, sat the KCPE in 2001, was married at the age of 15 and had two children afterward.
At 6 a.m., Chepkurui, who lives in a one-room mud hut in Narok County, always wakes up for her job at a local quarry, where she helps break rocks into small pieces for use on construction sites.
Chepkurui got married immediately after completing her KCPE in 2001, as do many girls who fell prey to child marriage.
She was only 15 years old at the time. Soon after, her husband passed away, leaving her to care for their two young children alone.
She performed menial labor to provide for her family, as she lacked an education and other means of support.
Chepkurui worked as a housekeeper, a security guard, and a tea picker in an effort to care for her children.
Despite her best efforts, the revenues were simply insufficient, and her family frequently lacked the means to fulfill their basic necessities.
Then, she determined that a change was necessary, and she took the difficult and sensible decision to return to school.
She went to the Nacace Adult Secondary School to seek admission as a student 19 years after taking the KCPE examination and obtaining the corresponding result slip.
With her admission, her burdens had just increased. She had to rise at 4:00 a.m. and work in the quarry for three hours before returning home to prepare for class. She dedicated three years to this labor of love.
Her daughter Sharon Chepkemoi says: “Ni raha kwa sababu sikuwa natarajia kuwa atarudi tena shule. Marafiki wengi waliniambia ingekuwa mzazi wao hawangekubali asome.”
Chepkurui is appreciative that her hard work in school paid off, and she was able to achieve the minimum university entrance requirements.
She intends to enroll in college and major in Community Development. Currently, she is working full-time at the quarry, where her two children assist her when schools are closed.
She expects to clear the remaining debt of Ksh.40,000 and receive her certificate. Additionally, she must earn enough to save for her two daughters who will be taking the KCSE next year.
Meet 35-Year-Old Mother Who Attained University Entry Grade In 2022 KCSE Exams Despite All Odds