Despite coming from a vulnerable background, Stephen Ntayia, of Masikonde Day Secondary School, beat all odds and managed an A plain of 82 points, becoming the best student in Narok county in the 2024 KCSE.
Ntayia, who scored 395 marks in KCPE, had been admitted to Kakamega national school for Form-One but was forced to join the mixed day school in Narok town because his parents could not afford to pay the school fees and other logistics required to join the prestigious school.
The boy’s parents who hail from Melili area, Narok County were forced to combine efforts with other parents to hire a single room house for the boys to stay in as they attended the free day school that is located in Majengo estate in Narok town.
Master Ntayia, clearly knowing his background, did not waste any chance in school and from the day he stepped in the school compound, he put all his efforts in academics and scored A plain in all the subjects.
“I had to spend a lot of time revising. I always went to bed as late as 11pm and woke up as early as 3am, just to revise and ensure I got all the concepts that were taught in class. I also utilized my teachers properly, who in-turn helped me to achieve my dreams,” he said.
Understanding the poverty at his home that could not allow for a conducive learning environment, the young boy forsook all holiday pleasures and committed to remain in school to revise when his peers closed school.
His vision is to pursue a degree in Aviation and elevate his family from extreme poverty as both his parents are casual labourers who struggle to place a plate of food on the table.
Coming from a Christian background, the boy attributed his success to God and believes his success is not because of human efforts but God’s hand was clearly evident.
“I heard the news from my school principal when my mother and I were in the shamba where we go to do casual jobs. I was so excited to hear that I had passed the exams,” he said.
The boy’s father Edwin Ntayia said his second-born son has done him proud as he performed beyond their expectations.
He confirmed that since he entered form-one, he has always scored As in his exams, describing his son as an obedient and hardworking boy who loves helping his parents in their casual work.
The school’s Principal Ms. Caroline Rono confirmed that since the school started the first national examination in 2012, no student has ever scored such a high mark.
She attributed the success to the commitment of the boy to his studies as he consulted the teachers regularly and maintained discipline.
“Since our school is a day school, the boy would stay in the school compound until past 9pm revising and come back as early as 4am to continue with his studies,” she reiterated.
The second-best student, Njeru Lemayian managed an A- (minus) mark. Lemayian who shared the rented house with Ntayia said God had rewarded their hard work.
Lemayian wants to pursue a course in Medicine so that he can help the sick in the society and help in new innovations that will tame many incurable diseases.
The two students confessed to have been relying on relief food donated in school for their survival while in school as their parents could not afford to buy them food and pay for their rental house.
Ntayia and Lemayian have displayed a good example beating the odds to achieve your dreams by not allowing the limitations of humble origins to bog you down.
By Ann Salaton