In 1999, facing financial challenges, Ms. Sabriya Ismail Ahmed decided to drop out of school and get married, at least to reduce the burden of school fees for her family.
Despite marrying early, 39-year-old Ms. Ahmed could not fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a medical officer one day, and after 20 years, she decided to go back to class.
The mother of six appeared in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam with her two children. A son and daughter.
“I dropped out of my second term of Form Two at Qubaa Secondary School in Mombasa due to lack of school fees and went straight to marriage,” she said.
Her daughter managed a B plain but her son was yet to receive his score when he went to the press.
“My daughter has managed a B plain but I am yet to find out what my son scored.”
She says that getting an education has always been her dream and she studied with her two children and also claims how they will tease each other to win.
“It has been fun studying with my kids and helping each other with homework. We had promised each other to do well in our exams,” she said.
Ms Ahmed said her husband has supported her in her education journey and back to school.
She said, “My husband is a police officer and I dropped out of school to marry him, but he has always helped me and my kids with their studies.”
She sat for the KCSE exams at Newlife Secondary School in Banisa Sub County, Mandera.
“Age is nothing but a number and I recommend education thirsty mothers to go back to school and their lives will change,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khalif Noor of Mandera Secondary School scored A and was the best candidate in Mandera County*
