Nandi: 5 High Schools Refuse To Admit Girl With Albinism Who Scored 347 Marks
A brainy girl, who performed exemplary well in her Kenya Certificate Of Primary Examination( KCPE ), is on the verge of losing admission to secondary school because she is living with albinism. Winnie Jelimo, 15, who completed her KCPE examination in March 2021, and scored 347 marks, said she has so far visited five schools to seek admission in vain. Jelimo said at the last school she visited, the school principal declined to admit her saying they have no vacancy for people living with albinism.
Deborah Chelangat 
Winnie Jelimo has so far sought admission in five schools but has been denied vacancy because of her skin condition. In one of the schools she visited, the principal said they do not admit students living with albinism According to her father, Samwell Kipruto, Jelimo was first called to join The Salvation Army Likoni, a school for the blind She could not join the school because she is not blind.
"The principal informed my father that they don't admit people living with albinism. I was hurt so much, but my father tried to be strong for me. I have never faced any discrimination due to my skin, even during my primary school life," Jelimo said. Jelimo, who was studying at Ilula Primary School in Eldoret, says she hoped to join Chepterit Secondary school in Nandi county and pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor. But as it stands, her dreams keep fading away each passing day. “My colleagues have secured their admissions to join Form One in various secondary schools, but I am left wondering what I did wrong to deserve this,” Jelimo posed.
"Am still wondering how she ended up being called there, yet she is not blind. She also didn't register as a blind pupil. She did her exams like other normal pupils.Though we have not sought admission in Chepterit High School due to financial constraints, that was her dream school,” the father stated. Adding: “We have tried to secure an admission slot for her in several secondary schools in vain. Many have said they cannot admit her due to her condition. I think albinism should not be the reason to deny her the right to education. I have another daughter who is living with albinism. Does this mean that she will also go through this?" he posed. Kipruto is now appealing to the well-wishers to come to her daughter's aid so that she can secure admission to her dream school and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. This comes after Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said that national schools admitted 17,406 girls and 18,848 boys, totalling 36,254.
