As February rolls into March, tensions begin building in secondary schools across Kenya. Each morning principals, teachers and especially student restlessly check the news in anticipation of the K.C.S.E test results: the exam that defines each student’s high school performance and determines their ability to attend university.
Daraja Academy’s level of eagerness has been just as high and finally the results are in for the students who sat for the 2013 national examination. Though it is still early in the process and the Ministry of Education has not released what the grade cut-off will be for students to receive government assistance to attend university, right now things look good.
What do we know?
We know that 20 of the 26 Daraja Academy exam sitters received a score which qualifies them to attend a four-year university.
We also know that at least 7 girls received scores high enough to earn them admission to four-year university on guranteed full government scholarship and another 4 may qualify for scholarship depending on where the cut-off falls this year.
These results are staggering when one considers that these young women did not have the means to attend secondary school four short years ago.
We also know that the girls who did not receive scores that will immediately allow them access university loans are neither gone nor are they forgotten. In fact, as I type this blog they are back on the Daraja Academy campus taking part in the school’s Transition Program.
The Transition Program provides graduates with the tools to be a successful in their next phases of life, whether that be in college, careers our as leaders of their communities. They are learning life skills, gaining practical experience during two-month internships and significant for many of the graduates, how to locate scholarships, loans, and other ways to further their educations.
No matter what tomorrow holds, these ladies are bright, hungry and capable of changing the world around them!
Jason Doherty
Founder of Daraja Academy
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