Caroline Rabongo, who scored CES’s highest mark in the KCSE this year, has been attending  Tigoi Girls High School.

Each year, Form Four (Grade 12) CES students sit down for a high-stakes event that will hugely influence their future — the Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Over several days, CES students join those right across the country to be tested on what they’ve learned. The whole nation pauses briefly as its sons and daughters focus on the event — and there’s a good deal of quiet national pride that the country is able to make this happen each year.

CES, too, takes great pride in the results our students achieve. This year. Caroline Rabongo from Tigoi Girls High School, a well-regarded boarding school that has educated many of our students, attained an A- — an impressive result. It puts Caroline in the top 2% of exam takers across the country.

The results of the KCSE influence which students are allowed to apply for the limited spaces available at Kenyan universities and technical colleges. Of the 28 secondary school students sponsored by CES, we have 21 students who scored a C+ or higher, allowing them to enter university. The remaining seven students are eligible for tertiary college.

How CES helps students succeed

There are several ways that CES helps students succeed in their KCSEs and beyond.

Getting the opportunity to compete: We select students from families in poverty, and many of them would be unable financially to attend any secondary school, let alone a quality institution like Tigoi Girls. CES donors make it possible for students in poverty to get a fair chance to compete.

Study without distractions: Students from financially disadvantaged schools may be disciplined if their uniform and personal grooming don’t meet the school’s exacting standards. And, they may often be “sent home for fees” if their parents miss payments. CES provides the portion of the school fees and other expenses that would be covered by the parents.

Supportive community: As members of the CES family, students sponsored by CES have the reassurance that they are part of a wider whole that takes an interest in their well-being.

Beyond the KCSE: Having the marks needed to apply to university or college is one thing — having the financial ability to accept the offer is something very different. With our post-secondary partial scholarships and other support, CES students are able to set themselves up for a brighter future.