As celebrations over the release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results continue across the country, a remarkable story of determination and resilience has emerged from Radiro Village in Homa Bay Town Sub-County.
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‎Fifty-year-old George Ochieng Okumu is beaming with pride after scoring a D+ in the 2025 KCSE examinations, a milestone that comes 34 years after he first sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 1992. For Okumu, the result represents more than just a grade—it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and a second chance at formal education.
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‎What made the achievement even more special was the fact that Okumu sat for the national examination alongside his second-born son, Brennon Arsen Ochieng. While the father earned a D+, his son recorded an impressive mean grade of B (minus), turning the KCSE results season into a double celebration for the family.
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‎Speaking after receiving his results, Okumu said his decision to return to school was inspired by years of missed opportunities. Despite having acquired various skills, he explained that lack of academic qualifications locked him out of employment and advancement.
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‎“I struggled to get stable employment for many years because I did not have the required papers. That motivated me to go back to school and sit for KCSE so that I can improve my chances in life,” he said.
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‎He says that his situation became even a criteria that some people used against him to deny him a job opportunity, knowing very well he lacks KSCE documents.
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‎Okumu has now set his sights on pursuing a course in criminology or any security-related field, noting that his passion lies in serving and protecting the community. He also urged other Kenyans who still harbour dreams of completing their education to register for examinations while the 8-4-4 system is still in place.
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‎“To those who feel it is too late, I want to tell them it is never too late. If you have the desire, register for the exams and give it a try,” he encouraged.
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‎His son, Arsen, said he felt proud rather than embarrassed to have sat the examinations in the same year as his father. He praised Okumu for his discipline and commitment, noting that balancing studies at his age was no easy task.
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‎“I am proud of my father. He worked very hard and achieved what many people could not, even after being out of school for a long time,” Arsen said.
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‎He added that education had become a family affair, recalling how he and his brother, who was in Form Three at the time, would help their father revise during school holidays.
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‎The inspiring story of George Ochieng Okumu has since drawn admiration from residents of Homa Bay, serving as a powerful reminder that education has no age limit and that persistence can turn long-held dreams into reality.
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