By Kabaraji Richard
Despite having numerous challenges, schools hosting refugees in Trans Nzoia County posted good results in the 2023 KCPE.
Most of the refugee students in the schools within Kitale town had more than 350 marks, results that led to learners, teachers and the parents celebrating.
Among the schools that had refugees sitting for their KCPE is Kitale Muslim Academy.
The school has more than 10 refugee’s from Kakuma Refugee camp. Its top Rayan Ousman, a Kenyan scored 400 marks while Futan Hamud had 389 marks.
Fred Mutenyo, the school’s headteacher notes that despite many hindrances, the refugees have a huge academic potential – a fact that has been confirmed with their impressive results.
“We have these pupils who come from as far as Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps but they really performed even better than own pupils,” Mutenyo said.
“All they need is support and you will see their full potential,” he added.
Vulnerable families
Aside from hosting learners who are refugees, the schools also have pupils whose parents are unable to cater for their needs.
Most of them live in slums areas within Kitale town.
“Some of the pupils cannot even afford a meal leave alone school uniforms and school fees thus we are forced to accommodate them in the school so as to help them grasp their education,” noted Osman Jamal, a parent at the Kitale Muslim Academy.
It is an almost similar situation at Munawar Muslim Academy. The school hosts not only Muslim learners but also Christians from other nations.
School’s management has since been forced to finding pupil-centered innovative ways of teaching the learners whose whose nationalities varies.
“We have devised new ways of teaching our pupils which has led to the sterling results including the above 300 mean score,” noted Walid Feroz, an assistant manager at the Munawar School.
