Ever since he was very young, Phanuel Opiyo had big dreams. He wanted to be a lawyer. Phanuel hoped to get above 400 marks in KCPE, go to secondary school and study law at the University of Nairobi.
But tragedy struck on October 23 days before KCPE exams kicked off. His stepmother allegedly burnt his hands on suspicion that he had stolen a phone. By the time his uncle came to his rescue, he had suffered second-degree burns on both hands. Despite the pain. Phanuel,14, gathered strength and sat for the national examination with both hands bandaged.
With his parents remanded following the incident, he put up at the Good Added Friends Risky Center (GAFRC) where officers from Nyando Police station took him after treatment.
The boy said he was in so much pain that he failed to complete some papers.
His Insha and composition papers were halfway done as the pain from holding the pencil was too much and he had to rest several times during the 40 minutes allocated for to sit the exam.
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Nyando OCPD Leonard Matete assured Phanuel of food and transport to Kasuna Primary School where he had been registered to sit for the exams.
“I got 279 marks because of the pain I had to endure. But I knew I would have scored far much better,” he said.
He added: “I was disappointed but there is nothing I can do now. It is too late.” Nyando child protection officer Caren Omanga said Phanuel was under witness protection and was undergoing psychological counseling by the time he sat for KCPE, and this greatly affected his performance.
Phanuel maintains that despite getting low marks, he will not give up the dream of being a lawyer so that he can protect children from harassment.
“I wanted to be a lawyer even before I sustained burns but the ambition is now burning inside me,” he added. He hopes to join a boarding school so that he can focus in on his studies.
“I wish to join a good boarding secondary school so that I can be able to achieve my dream,” he said.
The children’s officer says Phanuel was a bright child seen in his past performances and given chance, he would perfume even better.
Phanuel is under the care of the Nyando children’s protection department.
