Marita Nyakundi Calvin is a name that Kenyans remember with pride. In 2003, he made history by achieving the highest marks ever in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams, scoring an impressive 482 out of 500 marks.
He surpassed all previous records set in the history of the KCPE exams, and this remarkable achievement still stands today.
Marita’s success story is an inspiration to many students across the country, and it is proof that with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, anything is possible. But what is he doing now, 20 years after he wrote the KCPE exams? Let’s find out.
Initially, Nyakundi was not a high achiever in his studies and consistently found himself ranking among the lowest 10 students in his class.
As a result, he enrolled in a program called “Setting Myself for Success” to improve his academic performance. After completing the program, he was able to move to the top five in his class by Standard Six.
“I was in Standard Five and lagging at the bottom of the class, always among the last 10 pupils,” Nyakundi stated during his last public interview. “After the training, I moved to the top five in Standard Six. I sat for my KCPE in 2003 and was the best candidate countrywide, scoring 482 out of 500 marks.”
Marita’s success in the KCPE opened doors for him, and he joined Starehe Boys Center to pursue his secondary school education.
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His academic prowess continued to shine, and in 2010 he joined the University of Nairobi to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine. During his time at UoN, Marita was among the successful students who graduated from the institution in December 2020.
During the sixty-fourth graduation ceremony at the University of Nairobi, Marita was conferred with his degree, affirming his stature as a professional medic.
His graduation marked 17 years since he sat the KCPE exams, and he was excited to be moving on to the next phase of his career.
After his graduation, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) licensed him to work in the country.
Being fully accredited, Marita joined the Nairobi Women’s Hospital in August 2021 and started serving as a medical officer.