- Gabriel Lemita Kochayo clearly understands the importance of education after returning to school
- The 75-year-old man explained the reason why he returned to the classroom, from primary to high school, as he prepares for the KCSE exam.
- The father of 10 children from Marsabit county opened up about the challenges he faces at school and how he copes with them
The Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) 2025 is underway, and candidates are hoping to complete their secondary education with a high standard.
Source: UGC
An old man from Marsabit county is among those taking the national exam.
Gabriel Lemita Kochayo is one of the 996,078 candidates taking their final high school exam.
Unlike other candidates, Kochayo is older and has more life experience, he is still looking for more knowledge.
The 75-year-old man admitted that a group of teachers encouraged him to return to school.
What primary school did Kochayo attend?
He confessed his decision to return to the classroom to these teachers, who urged him to come back and “discover” the world.
“I am here today because of the encouragement I got from other good teachers who live in Garba Tula in the neighboring county of Isiolo,” he told Citizen Digital.
Kochayo opened up about his journey back to school, which began in 2018 when he joined primary school.
He studied at Moyale Primary School and was registered as a private candidate for the Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
How did Kochayo score in his KCPE?
He took his national exam and scored 232, despite being out of school for years.
“I was happy and ready for the next phase,” he noted, thanking the teachers for influencing his decision to study.
The father of 10 was not slowed down, as he intended to take his KCSE exam the following year, showing his hunger and desire for education.
For luck Unfortunately, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) refused his registration as he was not eligible after only completing grade 8.
Will Kochayo stop studying?
The setback did not discourage him, and he kept his hopes alive, hopes that finally bore fruit in 2025.
Kochayo’s happiness was restored after he was allowed to do this year’s exams at St. Theresa in Marsabit.
He said the minimum he hopes to achieve and focuses on his college dreams.
“If I get C+ and above, I will prepare to register online to join my dream universities, either the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, or even Moi University. I understand English, but sometimes I struggle, so I use a dictionary to understand. As long as my mind is working, I will not stop reading,” he noted.
How did Kochayo register for KCSE 2025 exams?
Outside the classroom, Kochayo runs a small mobile accessories store in the town of Sololo.
He admitted that the business does not bring him enough money to pay his bills, and he was grateful for the help of friends.
His friends stepped in to help him, they contributed financially to enable him to register and prepare for the exams.
He added that he went back to school to avoid being lazy because he knew he could still do a lot with his brain.
Opinions of netizens
Paul Sampao: “Our Minister of Education should declare the student as the best candidate even before the revision of his exams!
Louis Tobiko: “It is the spirit of knowledge that drives him. He does not want to die a fool or a fool.”
Moses Mati: “What does he want to be when he grows up!?”
Muriithi Joe: “Congratulations. Be that as it may, I’d like to know what motivated or inspired him.”
Janet Abonga: “Learning has no deadline. Congratulations.”
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
