Top boy in Nyanza wants to be neurosurgeon

By Nicholas Anyuor

Sidney Rema Oirere, who emerged the best student in Nyanza Province, wants to be a neurosurgeon.

He attributed his good performance to teamwork with other students and dedicated teachers. He said he wanted to study medicine and later specialise in neurosurgery.

"I was excited when I heard the good news. I didn’t know I would be among the best in the region and the country, though I was always in the top ten in school," he said.

Thursday, Oirere travelled with his parents, uncle and sisters to his former school, Maranda High School, to celebrate the good results.

Oirere, also the top student at Maranda High school, scored 86.8 marks. He was position five nationally.

A second born in a family of four, Oirere attended Magwagwa DB Primary School in his Magwagwa village, Nyamira North District, before sitting his KCPE at Nyabondo Boys’ Primary School in Kisumu County where he scored 400 marks out of a possible 500 marks. Nyabondo Boys’ Primary School emerged position two nationally in last year’s KCPE examinations.

Oirere’s mother, Esther Moraa, a head teacher at Magwagwa Primary School, said the boy has always been above average and the family expected him to do well.

"We expected good performance, but we didn’t know one day he would appear on top. We are proud of what he has done. This is wonderful," she said.

His father, who is the Rongo District Crops Officer, described Oirere as disciplined and hardworking. He said he studied even during holidays without being coerced.

"We could not force him to read. He knew what he was to do at a given time even while at home. We are also congratulating the school for creating the reading culture in the institution," he said.

Meanwhile, an education official has said the Government will investigate irregularities in Nyanza Province that led to the cancellation of results in some schools.

Nyanza Provincial Director of Education Mr Geoffrey Cherongis said some schools in the region were not ranked after some students were found to have cheated.

"Some schools like Kanga had exemplary performance of 9.4 mean grade but missed ranking because of one student who cheated," said the PDE.

Additional reporting by Maureen Odiwuor