John Njagi
1 March 2008
Nairobi — Last year's top Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) student in the country beat several odds to emerge the best nationally.
Coming from a poor background, Morris Muchiri Maganjo said his success largely hinged on well-wishers who paid for his school fees as his parents could not afford.
News of his success, which the family received through a radio news bulletin, came as a surprise as members tilled the land at their home in Kiaritha village, Kirinyaga District.
The boy's father, Mr Joshua Maganjo Kago, who is a peasant coffee grower, was elated by his son's good performance and called on well-wishers to assist him pursue university education.
"Since the price of coffee slumped, paying for my children's education has been difficult and I am now calling on well- wishers to help the boy continue with his studies because he has proved he is capable," said the 48-year-old father of four.
Muchiri was ranked the best in the country in last year's results announced by Education minister Sam Ongeri on Thursday.
He beat 276,239 candidates with a performance index of 86.97128.
"I did not expect to emerge the best in the country and the news came as a surprise but I can attribute it all to hard work and trust in God," he said.
With his achievement, the former student of Starehe Boys' Centre has become an instant celebrity in his village and at his former primary school, the Good Shepherd Academy.
Villagers, journalists and students are among visitors to the boy's home since the results were announced.
Muchiri also attributed his success to his sponsors, parents, friends and relatives who urged him to continue working hard.
Full sponsorship
The Good Shepherd Academy's proprietor, Ms Jennifer Mugo, said she noticed the boy's potential while he was at a neighbouring primary school and invited him to join her school on full sponsorship.
"I was impressed by the boy's academic performance which was exemplary given that he was in a public primary school at the time," she said.
She said the boy's family, whose home neighbours the school, also faced economic hardships, making it difficult for them to pay for the boy's education.
"Since the boy could not find a favourable environment to study at home, the school offered him boarding facilities so that he could concentrate on his studies," she said.
And one year later, the student did not disappoint as he attained 466 marks out of a possible 500, emerging the top student at the school and in the entire district.
Ms Mugo said the student has been a big inspiration to the other pupils, and is usually used as a reference point for success in helping motivate pupils to work hard and achieve good grades.
"Already seven have joined Starehe Boys' Centre and other national schools since 2003 owing to the inspiration they got from Maganjo's success," said the head teacher.
On Friday, pupils at the school broke into jubilation on learning of the success of their former colleague whom they still regard as one of their own.
Best university
Learning at the school was partly paralysed as teachers and pupils gathered outside the classrooms to sing songs of joy and carry the triumphant student shoulder high in celebration.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation at his home, Muchiri said he would like to join the best university in the world to pursue medicine and eventually surgery.
"I would like to join Harvard University in the US and become a surgeon so that I can help the poor people who have difficulty paying for their operations in various hospitals in the country," he said.
He said his role model is world renowned surgeon and author Ben Carson, who has written moving books on his experiences in the field.
As we left his home, the top student was arranging to travel to Nairobi to join his former schoolmates in celebrating the success.
The boy said his hobbies are reading, playing football and engaging in adventure.
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