On 20 November 2018, Nyakundi Report notes that 14-year-old Ashley Mwende turned in a strong KCPE result despite the trauma of an August road accident that left her with a fractured right hand and cost her a kidney.
The Mwingi St Gabriel Boarding Primary School candidate scored 423 marks, placing second behind Eric Ngombo, who posted 425. Five other pupils also crossed the 400-mark threshold.
Ashley was among the survivors of the August 4 crash, when the school bus was involved in a head-on collision and then plunged into Kanginga bridge. Ten of her colleagues died in the accident, and nine of the pupils who were killed were among the 41 candidates who had registered for the exam.
She said her performance was the result of God’s grace, prayer and hard work, adding that she was pleased to have done well even though she had not fully recovered by the time of the examination.
Head teacher Viginiah Kiilu said the result was unexpected given the extent of Ashley’s injuries. “Soon after the accident, Ashley had to learn to use her left hand. Miraculously, by the time the exam started, she had learned to use the right hand again,” Kiilu said.
Kiilu also said the school’s overall 2018 performance improved, with the average rising from 357 the previous year to 373.3.
