Kisumu — A female student in last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in Siaya County was shocked to learn that she has been picked to join Lenana School, a boys' institution in the recently concluded selection process.

Gloria Adhiambo Owino, who topped her class at Nyalgunga Primary School in Alego Usonga sub-county had listed Alliance and Starehe Girls' schools as her choices.

Adhiambo ,14, scored 389 points in KCPE qualifying her for an entry to national school.

"As a family we were very happy with the results and were expecting to get a good national school," she told a local radio station.

Her joy and that of her family was however short-lived when her calling letter read Lenana Boys' School.

"When I downloaded my calling letter in a local cyber café, I was perplexed to find that I am joining Lenana, which is a boy's school," she said.

Adhiambo said the placement plunged her into confusion.

Stranded

As parents plan to take their children to secondary school, Adhiambo said her family is stranded and unable to make any move.

"I have been visiting the cyber café to see if I can get another calling letter owing to the fact that I placed three schools, but nothing is forthcoming," she added.

She now hopes to join Kisumu Girls' but her family faces a challenge of raising school fees.

The mother, Margaret Awuor, said she is not in a position to cater for her daughter's expenses in a national high school.

"We are unable to sustain payments of school fees in a national school," she said.

Awuor said her efforts to land a scholarship failed since all the applications have turned negative.

Adhiambo appealed to local leaders to come to her aid as she fears foregoing secondary school education.

"As I plead with the education officials to look into my placement, I also want to call for support from well-wishers to enable me to join school," she said.