On 22 November 2018, Veronica Kaleso Matilu, 68, emerged from the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams with a clear next step in mind: Form One in January and, eventually, college.
The Makueni candidate, a mother of 10, scored 143 marks in the test and said she was determined to keep studying until she qualifies as a certified accountant. She linked that ambition to the practical problems she has faced on her farm, saying poor record-keeping had previously left her vulnerable to being cheated by employees.
Matilu said the arithmetic skills she gained through the KCPE process had already changed how she handles everyday tasks. She also said she can now speak fluent Kiswahili when visiting offices, a development she believes will help her manage her affairs more confidently.
She told reporters that this Christmas would be different because she expected to be waiting for secondary school placement in January. She added that she had already asked her children to buy the textbooks she will need once she joins Form One.
Although she did not perform as strongly in languages as she had hoped, Matilu said she was satisfied that she had made progress in mathematics and Kiswahili, where she managed grade D in both subjects. If her plans proceed as expected, she said, she will be 72 when she sits the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
Matilu was a candidate at Ukia Kaiti in Makueni County.
