Abraham Maina, a Kenyatta University graduate, became a victim of a flawed education system that left him jobless and struggled to make ends meet. After completing his degree in Education Arts, with Geography and Mathematics as his teaching subjects, he hoped to secure a teaching job with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), but his dream was cut short when he was rejected in several job interviews.
Maina had dreamed of becoming a teacher since his graduation in 2008, and he had taught in several schools, including St Joseph High School in Kiambu and Ruiru Girls High School, but never managed to land a permanent job. His efforts to secure employment with the TSC proved futile, and he was rejected in several job interviews for not having the necessary qualifications.
Despite having graduated with a second class upper division from Kenyatta University, Maina was stunned to learn that for one to qualify to train as a teacher, they must have scored at least a C+ in every teaching subject. This revelation shattered his dreams of becoming a teacher and forced him to become a full-time hawker to fend for his family.
Maina’s journey to becoming a hawker began after he finished his secondary education in 2002. He had scored a B- in Mathematics and a C plain in Geography, but could not join university due to his family’s poor financial background. Several years later, well-wishers offered to sponsor him to study for a degree, and he enrolled at Kenyatta University, where he graduated in 2008.
However, despite his best efforts, Maina’s dream of becoming a teacher was never realized. He was rejected in several job interviews, and his TSC registration was revoked after it was discovered that he did not have the necessary qualifications to train as a teacher. Maina was left with no choice but to become a hawker to make ends meet.
Maina’s hawking business was thriving until the Corona Virus pandemic hit in 2019, which put pressure on him as he struggled to support his family. Despite his dire situation, Maina did not give up on his dreams.
He called for the government to intervene and launch an investigation into why the university offered him an opportunity to study a program he did not qualify for, and why TSC registered him only to later reject his papers.