Ex-convict who excelled in KCPE gets scholarship
Despite scoring 401 marks in his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination, the future looked bleak for 28-year-old Juma Nyasi, whose life sentence in a sexual assault case was quashed by the High Court.
With neither a calling letter nor fees to help him join secondary school, Mr Nyasi was staring at uncertainty over continuing with his education.
This was his fate until the Taita Taveta County government intervened and gave him a full scholarship to join Ikutha Boys Secondary School in Kitui County.
“I had no hope of joining secondary school but I thank God that I have been selected to get the scholarship. I will join the school next week,” he said.
Mr Nyasi was released last month from Manyani Maximum Security Prison, where he was serving life in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a three-year-old boy.
But he is now a free man after the Voi High Court acquitted him of the charges after new evidence emerged.
He was the best student among inmates across the country.
“I am so happy that my dream of becoming an engineer will come to pass,” he said.
Mr Nyasi is among hundreds of bright students who are set to benefit from an Sh11 million county scholarship programme for their secondary education.
The programme, which began at the onset of devolution, has sponsored over 400 students from Voi, Mwatate, Wundanyi and Taveta sub-counties.
Speaking when he issued the scholarship funds at the county headquarters in Mwatate, Education Fund Board chairperson David Mombo said only deserving students would benefit.
He said the selection process was transparent and only bright and needy students who scored over 300 marks received the scholarship.
lmkanyika@ke.nationmedia.com