From A-Minus to Mjengo: 2025 KCSE Top Scorer’s Fight to Keep the Dream Alive

For Agrrey Munandi, excelling in school demanded the same hard work as pushing a wheelbarrow at a construction site to make ends meet.

The 18-year-old stunned many after scoring an A-minus in the 2025 KCSE at Dandora Secondary School, a grade achieved after facing so many challenges like poverty, instability, and relentless hardship.

While his academic success should have marked the beginning of celebrations and university preparations, Munandi’s reality took a different turn.

Instead of joining classmates in planning for higher education, he now works as a casual labourer at a construction site popularly known as ‘mjengo’ to help support his family.

No Time to Celebrate

Munandi admits he barely had time to celebrate his impressive performance.

“Personally, after finishing my Form Four, there was no other resolve apart from helping my mum, so that together we can solve some of the needs we are facing,” he said.

“Especially school fees for my siblings, food, and rent.”

Financial challenges at home forced him to put his dreams on hold and step into the role of provider, supplementing his mother’s modest income to ensure his younger siblings remain in school. 

Also Read:An Education System That Manufactures Failure: A National Indictment of KCSE Outcomes

A Journey Marked by Struggle

Munandi’s journey through secondary school was anything but easy.

From frequent school fee arrears and food insecurity to living in a harsh environment, the odds were stacked against him.

Yet, his determination to excel never wavered.

A turning point came when the school administration intervened.

“Since I entered the school and after I performed well in that term, the principal decided to pay all my school fees,” Munandi recalled.

“I really thank him for that.”The support went beyond fees.

“He also availed some revision books which we didn’t have before,” he added.

“They really helped us revise, especially in sciences, which were challenging.”

Dreams Deferred, Not Denied

Though proud of his performance, Munandi remains uncertain about what the future holds.

His dream is to become a mechanical engineer, but financial constraints threaten to derail his ambitions.

“If anyone comes to my aid, I can still pursue my career,” he said.

“By God’s will, I believe I can pass and one day be helpful to my family and my society.”

For now, his priority is ensuring his siblings receive an education,something he believes is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty gripping his family.

A Family Carrying a Heavy Burden

Munandi works alongside his mother, Jacqueline Kageha, at the construction site.

She pushed for her son to be hired as a casual worker so he could help relieve the family’s heavy responsibilities.

After long, exhausting days, they return to a single-roomed house about a kilometre from their workplace.

The tiny space is home to six people; Kageha, her four children, and Munandi’s grandmother.

Despite the hardships, hope remains alive.

Hope for a Scholarship

The family’s greatest wish is that Munandi secures a scholarship to pursue university education and unlock a brighter future.

For a young man who has already proven his academic excellence under extreme adversity, such support could mean the difference between a dream deferred and a destiny fulfilled.

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The image shows Aggrey Munandi who just received his KCSE results and has no hopes of pursuing his university education because of life challenges
Image/Citizen TV Screenshot