2019 KCSE: Kenyan Mother of 7 Attains University Grade 14 Years After She Got Married

A 34-year-old mother of seven is set to join university after she performed well in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

Against all odds, Florence Muia Nyenya from Kitui County scored a C+ (plus) of 52 points having joined Nzuli Mixed Day Secondary School in Mwingi West Constituency in July 2016 after 14 years of marriage. She says she endured all manners of mockery from her classmates, most of whom were 20 years younger than her, as well as villagers when she decided to go back to school.

“My children who were also in the neighboring primary school withstood similar mockery; their fellow pupils would mock them that their mother is schooling at an old age,” she told Daily Nation.

She would wake up at 4 am daily to prepare breakfast for her children and do other domestic chores before walking a distance of four kilometers to school.

“It was quite a challenge because I also used to sleep late after ensuring the family was fed and I had done my homework, but I never had any trouble with lateness,” she said.

Florence is among 125,746 students from across the country that attained the minimum university entry grade of C+. She sat for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in 1999 and scored an impressive 483 marks out of 700, but could not join secondary school as her parents were too poor to afford fees.

Three years later in 2003, she became pregnant and got married after her dream of joining secondary school was completely shattered despite earning a place at Kimangao Girls Secondary School.

“I gave birth to my firstborn that same year, and in quick succession, I had six other children in a span of 14 years,” she said.

At the beginning of 2016, she got a chance to speak to former Kitui Woman Representative Nyiva Mwendwa where she expressed her desire to pursue her education. Mwendwa offered to pay her secondary school fees through her office.

“My husband agreed to support me, especially with the family chores, and even helped me secure the admission at the nearby day secondary school,” she said.

In her final year, she was elected the school’s president. She was the fourth-best student in the school in this year’s national exam.

“My decision to go back to school and my excellent performances in the end of term exams motivated many students in the village, including my own children, who felt challenged by their mother,” she says, adding that her firstborn son sat for his KCPE exams this year and got 338 marks.

Florence hopes to pursue a law degree at the University of Nairobi.