The top candidate in the 2023 KCPE examination from Imara Daima SDA Academy in Nairobi is appealing for help to join secondary school.
The family says her primary school fees was funded by the SDA church.
Raul Magaka scored 408 marks and is set to join Kisii school but is still at home even as admission week ends.
His father Josphat Magaka said he is unable to take his son to school as he lost his job working at Industrial Area during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I worked in the Industrial Area and I left when my hands had been amputated. Since then it became a challenge to get a job. I started riding boda boda which I borrow for I do not own mine to earn a living," Magaka said.
He said his wife does menial jobs like washing clothes to chip in where she can.
Magaka said Raul had it tough even in primary school due to a lack of school fees.
"It was through the help of the church where we usually worship that my son got to finish primary school," Magaka said.
Raul's term one school fees is Sh26,000 plus Sh15,000 quoted for school uniforms and some shopping.
His father said all these could total Sh70,000.
Initially, Raul was placed at Utumishi Boys Academy but the parents never even downloaded the admission letter.
"We did not download the letter but we checked the website and the fee quoted was around Sh114,000 which led us to look for a slot in Kisii school," Magaka said.
The father of three said Raul has been in tears since the admission process began across the country on Monday.
"My son has been crying this entire week. We have tried applying for the Elimu Bora scholarship and the Wings to Fly but we did not get it probably because his primary school was an academy," he said.
Magaka said they have reached out to the Principal of Kisii school to explain their situation.
"He gave us one week to take Raul to school. That is by Monday next week, latest Tuesday for the slot," the father said.
Magaka said he did not negotiate to pay even half of the fees for he currently has nothing to offer the school.
"My child looks at me and asks if he is a burden. He asks whether he was born by mistake," the teary father said.
Raul was seated next to his father, silent but in tears.
Magaka said his son has been seeing off his friends who even got lower marks than him as they go to Form One.
"Every time he comes back into the house he sheds tears," he said.
Magaka got into an accident last week and his hand is currently fractured.
He was asked to pay Sh1500 at Mbagathi to get his hand plastered but he was unable to raise the money.
Raul's mother Selvin Moraa said it pains her that she is unable to take her son to school.
She said the boy went through hardships but still managed to deliver exemplary marks.
"There were times we would be locked out of the house due to lack of rent. Raul would study under the security light as we beg the caretaker to open the door," he said.
"I did not expect my son to perform so highly with all the challenges he went through. Even the teachers were shocked because he used to miss school most times."
Their church pastor and the Primary school head teacher keep praying for a miracle that will get their son to school.
If one wishes to reach out to Raul's parents, call; 0720 299 235(Dad) or 0710 619 251 (mother)