The story of Sebastian Onyango, the top-performing Grade 9 candidate at Nyakwere Primary School, has sparked a national outcry. On Monday, January 26, 2026, while thousands of his peers were donning new uniforms for Senior School, Sebastian walked back into his former classroom in Migori and asked to repeat.
He wasn’t there because he failed; he was there because he is poor. Despite having an admission letter to Oriwo Boys High School, his dream of becoming an engineer is currently stalled by a Sh53,000 fee gap.
But history shows that in Kenya, a story this powerful rarely ends in a repeat class.
1. The Power of the “Internet Brigade”
In the last 24 hours, Sebastian’s story has moved from local news to a trending topic on social media. Historically, students like Alila John Mark (who faced a similar crisis in 2022) were rescued by well-wishers within days of their story going viral.
The Goal: A total of Sh200,000 would not only clear Sebastian’s Grade 10 fees but secure his entire Senior School journey (Grades 10–12).
The Impact: Helping Sebastian doesn’t just save one boy; it sends a message to the Ministry that “100% Transition” requires 100% community support.
2. Why “Repeating” is Not the Answer
As we discussed in [Blog 2], repeating Grade 9 is technically unauthorized under the new CBC guidelines. If Sebastian stays in Nyakwere Primary:
He risks being flagged by the KEMIS tracking system.
He loses a critical year of progress in his chosen STEM pathway.
He faces the psychological weight of “staying behind” while his potential remains at an all-time high.
3. How to Support: The Solidarity Fund
Teachers at Nyakwere Primary have already started a small “mop-up” contribution, but it isn’t enough to cover the boarding and admission requirements of a national-tier school like Oriwo Boys.
“We are appealing to the Migori County Government, the NG-CDF office in Rongo, and any well-wisher to step in. Sebastian is a brilliant mind that we cannot afford to lose to poverty,” his teacher pleaded.
