How Cheruiyot moved from 209 marks in KCPE to a B in KCSE

When Gideon Cheruiyot received his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results in 2014, his father was disheartened, and wanted him to re-sit the exam the following year.

Cheruiyot however declined to repeat the class at Telanet Primary School and was determined not to let his 209 marks define him or his future.

He earned a slot at Kapsoit Day Secondary School and from there, the hurdles kept mounting, but he kept on.

The four years he spent there saw his family struggle even to raise money for school fees but Cheruiyot however opted to make lemonade every time life handed him lemons.

“I used to run around the village begging people to help me pay his school fees and they helped. The teachers at Kapsoit also ensured he remained in class even when he was supposed to be sent home for school fees, now they have reaped” recalls Cheruiyot’s mother.

When the 2018 KCSE results were announced on Friday, Cheruiyot made the list of the five most improved students in the country.

“You have Cheruiyot Gideon who had 209 at KCPE and has a mean of B mean grade in KCSE…which basically means they are all going to University…this clearly means candidates who perform poorly in KCPE can perform excellently in KCSE,” said Education CS Amina Mohammed.

“When I got into secondary I saw my past and said I will change my future and for anyone who hasn’t achieved yet, there is still time,” said Cheruiyot.

Beaming with smiles now, Cheruiyot says he now wants to pursue engineering.