A bright but needy Form Two student showed up in school carrying a cock to clear part of Sh34,000 fees arrears in his quest for education.
Mathew Simiyu had been sent home to fetch anything that could be traded in to reduce his school fees balance. At home, he found the only cock in the homestead, tucked it under his arm and walked back to school.
Once back at Holy Trinity Secondary School in Saboti, Trans Nzoia County, he pleaded with the administration to be allowed to continue with his studies.
The school valued at the cock at Sh1,000 and accepted it as payment towards his school fees arrears, which now stands at Sh33,000.
Luck knocks
However, luck came knocking on his door when area Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi learnt about the boy’s story through a Whatsapp group.
The MP lauded the boy’s efforts to make ends meet and paid the fee arrears in full through the National Constituency Development Fund bursary allocation.
Amisi confessed that the story touched him as he really related with Simiyu saying he went through similar challenges years back when he joined Form One at Starehe Boys.
He revealed that he only reported to school with a padlock as his family could not afford much else.
Simiyu, who comes from Kapretwa village, could not pay any amount when he joined Form One last year, hence the arrears.
When he showed up to school last week, the principal, Charles Ong’ayo, asked him to go back home and bring anything that his family could get to at least pay off part of the fee arrears.
“I wanted to go back to school to study and since the only transferable asset I could get at home was the cock, I decided to take it to school so that I could be allowed to continue with learning at least for a while,” Simiyu said.
The 15-year-old explained how he persevered through tough times in school having no essential learning materials and only an old pair of school uniform.
He says he is indebted to his friend who came in handy to offer him a few learning materials including books, and vows to work hard to pay back in kind when he completes school.
His class teacher, Amos Elima, described Simiyu as an industrious, brilliant and disciplined boy whose focus on academics was unmatched in his entire class.
“The boy is hard-working and has a deep sense of responsibility. If he finds ample time in class, I believe he will surprise many with better grades at the end of his four-year course,” he pointed out.
He added that Simiyu joined the school from the neighbouring Kapretwa primary, having scored high marks in his KCPE but had challenges in paying school fees.
Mr Elima said the school administration has been supportive despite him not having settled his fees.
He called on well-wishers to enable the boy realise his dreams.
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