Dadaab school beats odds to post top grades in KCSE

The entry of Liban Secondary School located at the Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab subcounty/STEPHEN ASTARIKO

When Dadaab is mentioned, what comes to the mind of many is the refugee camps that are hosted in the subcounty that is 100 km from Garissa Town.

However, Liban Secondary School, a private institution located in the middle of the Ifo refugee camp, is bringing a positive focus through the excellent grades that were posted by the 2024 KCSE candidates.

In what has surprised many, the school emerged among the best in Garissa County, posting a mean score of 8.75, an improvement from 2023, where the school had a mean score of 7.61.

The breakdown of the results shows that there was one A-, B+ [24] ,B plain [35], B-[ 43], C+ [20], C plain [11] and C- [07] .

A total of 123 students gained entry to the university. No incident of cheating was also reported in the school.

Speaking at the school compound, Yahya Hassan Amin, who topped the class with an A- said that the results did not come as a surprise to him, noting that it took hard work, determination, prayers, and help from others to post the good grades.

Yahya Hassan Amin who topped the class with an A-/STEPHEN ASTARIKO

He added: “I want to thank my parents, teachers, and the entire management of this prestigious institution, including the support staff for the crucial role they played in my journey to success."

"The journey has been long and rigorous, but with the support that I got, I managed to overcome all the obstacles, and here I am celebrating my good grades,” said Mohamed.

Yahya, who wants to pursue a course in the medical field, said that it has always been his dream since he was a child, expressing optimism that he will get a chance to actualise his dream.

Ahmed Ismail, who scored a B+, credited his good performance to hard work, discipline, dedication, and the support he got from the school management.

"I want to thank my parents and the entire teaching and non-teaching staff who worked closely with the candidates to achieve the results we are celebrating today. I am personally over the moon, and the results are yet to sink in three days since they were announced by the education CS,” he said.

Zacharia Ismail, who also got a B+, said that he was happy that he has not only achieved his dream of performing well in his exams but also he has put the school in the limelight.

“I can't lie to you that it has been a smooth ride all through. It has been a long journey coupled with many challenges and difficulties. But this did not stop my colleague and I from soldiering on and ensuring that we post good grades,” he said.

Zacharia, said he was looking forward to joining university to take a course in medicine.

Joseph Otieno, the school principal, speaking to the press while flanked by some of the students who sat the 2024 KCSE exam/STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Joseph Otieno, the school principal, who could not hide his joy, said that the students have not only made the school proud but the entire county and region at large.

“They have made all of us proud. Working hard really pays. We are grateful to the Almighty God that we have come out with wonderful results," Otieno said.

"Where their are good structures, there must have been builders. The good results that you can see were not just picked, but they are as a result of sheer hard work.”

Otieno, who was accompanied by members of the teaching staff, the school management team, student representatives and members of the student leadership council, and members of the support staff, said the results are a clear testimony that the school is an oasis of knowledge.

"I want to take this chance to congratulate fellow members of the teaching staff for their hard work and sacrifice that they demonstrated. They used to wake up very early and at times to go home very late without any more remunerations,” he said.

“Because we are teaching in a hardship region where our students at times go home without lunch, we teach girls who at times even lack sanitary pads."

"It is for this reason that I want in a special way congratulate our parents who despite all these challenges have stood with the school administration throughout our journey to success."