Nairobi News

Goldalyn Kakuya, the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination top candidate, has completed high school education a year after her counterparts from five years ago.

Kakuya grabbed the nation’s attention with her starling performance in 2017 when she scored 455 marks out of 500. She sat her KCPE exams at St Anne’s Academy in Kakamega County.

For her great performance, Kakuya, who is an albino, was awarded a full scholarship by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, along with 2018 KCPE top candidate Olive Wachira, who scored 453 marks.

The scholarship saw her transferring from Kenya High School to Brookhouse School, where she joined the equivalent of Form 2 class. Because of differences between the 844 and the IGCSE systems of education, teachers felt she was qualified to join the senior class.

News of Kakuya’s graduation from high school was shared on social media by nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura.

“Goldalyn Kakuya has finally graduated from Form Six at Brookhouse Karen after 5 good years. The A* (star) student, intends to study medicine in an International University,” Mwaura, who is also an albino, wrote.

Senator Mwaura is among Kakuya’s benefactors having in the past presented her with a cheque of Sh100,000 in recognition of her performance.

In a past interview, Kakuya revealed some of the challenges she has faced in life, including an eyesight problem, a complication of albinism, which made practical lessons a bit more challenging.

However, her academic efforts paid off handsomely.

Back in 2013, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta had asked the Ministry of Education to ensure bright and deserving students were picked as beneficiaries of her scholarship programme, and that is how Kakuya landed the opportunity.