Eric Macharia Nyaga, a former student of Kianjokoma Primary School in Embu County, is one of the top achievers in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.
Macharia scored an A plain of 84 points from Moi High School Mbiruri in Embu County.
The boy, who hails from a humble background, has been a top performer since primary school, where he scored 414 marks in the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
Tough academic journey
Despite acing his KCPE exams and emerging top of the class, he struggled to find sponsorship and nearly missed an opportunity to join his preferred school - Moi High School Mbiruri.
Macharia first applied for a Wings to Fly scholarship but unfortunately missed the chance, prompting him to explore other alternatives. He relentlessly pursued different institutions for support until a week before the admission date, when Cooperative Bank came to his aid, granting him a full scholarship to attend his preferred school.
With this support, the determined Macharia commenced his secondary education at Moi High School Mbiruri.
Determined to impress his sponsor, Macharia excelled in his first exam, capturing the interest of teachers who recognized his potential to excel in subsequent exams. True to their expectations, the young man consistently topped his exams for the last four years, culminating in achieving an A grade of 84 points and securing the top position in the school.
Remarkably, Macharia scored straight As in all subjects.
Interestingly, Macharia was not aware that the 2023 exam results would be announced today.
As Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu was unveiling the results at Moi Girls High School in Eldoret he was busy plucking tea on his family's farm with his mother.
The mother only learnt of the news when she excused herself momentarily to retrieve her phone, left charging at her house nearby. She found three missed calls from the principal.
Upon returning the call, she was informed about her son's outstanding performance. The family broke into tears of joy as they celebrated the results.
Macharia credited his performance to his fear of God, hard work, and unwavering support from his former primary school teachers, parents, high school teachers, and his sponsor, Co-operative Bank.
"I have made my sponsor happy, and I believe the future is bright," he said.
Pursue medicine
He expressed his desire to join the University of Nairobi and pursue a course in medicine.
Patrick Nderitu, the principal of Moi High School Mbiruri, described Macharia as a polite, disciplined, and God-fearing young man whose focused dedication paid off.
Macharia's mother, Ann Wawira, couldn't contain her joy, praising her son's dedication to studying at home, burning the midnight oil, and acknowledging that his efforts have borne fruit.
Yvonne Mati, a nominated member of the county assembly from Runguru Gandori ward, and a neighbour to Macharia's parents, hailed his achievement as a major milestone in the area. She urged different stakeholders to support Macharia in realizing his dreams in his tertiary education.
"Macharia needs our support in his further education; let's embrace him," she noted.
