This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
November 21, 2019, marks a day when a young Tanzanian girl discovered that her family had passed away while she was sitting for her Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE/KCSE).
Her family had planned to visit her school for prayer the day before the exams but unfortunately, they did not make it to wish her success.
Her story has gone viral, and many Kenyans who have experienced a similar situation have come forward to share their emotional stories.
Elvy Obinga's mother passed away just a week before her final university exams. She requested the family to preserve the body until she had completed all her papers, and they agreed.
"I still thank the lecturer who advised me not to skip the exam because of death," Elvy said.
Linda Otieno's mother died a day before her form three exams. She had to do her exams as it was the last term, and her mother's body was preserved in the mortuary for two weeks.
"The day I finished my exams, I went to the mortuary straight from school," Linda said.
Munyua Joyce's family lost their mother on October 1, 2019, and her brother is still in school waiting to sit for his last paper.
"I hope I didn't affect him much," Munyua said.
These stories and many more highlight the emotional toll that losing a parent while sitting for exams can take on students.
