Dream careers: Law, medicine and engineering most favoured

By Ally Jamah

Top girls and boys have revealed their dreams and plans after successfully scaling in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination and emerging best overall in the country.By Ally Jamah

All are interested in pursuing careers normally regarded glamorous if they maintain their top scores through to university.

However, many girls no longer fear taking up careers long dominated by men, with several girls keen on surgery and engineering.

The top girl nationally, Christine Muthoni Kagiri of Tendercare Academy in Nairobi, has her eyes fixed on the glamorous career of a surgeon, which requires top brains and unflinching will to overcome the challenges of working odd hours and during emergencies.

- BELINDA ADHIAMBO: "I hope God will help me become an engineer in future. It is what I love most "	- ANDREW MWANGANGI:Wants to become a commercial pilot and fly massive Boeing and Airbus planes around the world
- DIANA ADHIAMBO: "I love nature and want to explore more. That is why I want to be an archaeologist"	- TITO KUOL YAK: "I hope that I will one day be a lawyer in South Sudan and help my people get justice"
- HERBERT KARANJA:"I will be a judge one day and ensure cases are handled fast, efficiently and with justice"	- MAINA NOELA WANJIRU:"I want to be a neurosurgeon or cardiologist to save people and give them good health"

She preferred not to follow her father’s footsteps in aviation, which is another much sought after sector. Kagiri, who scored 442 marks, hopes to play a small part in ending the acute shortage of surgeons in the country and the accompanying loss of lives in public hospitals.

With the recent national strike by doctors in public health facilities, and the revelations of low pay and poor working condition, the glamour of the profession still attract sharp minds like Christine’s.

"Being a surgeon is what I have always wanted. I would love to save peoples’ lives and restore their health. That would give me a lot of satisfaction," she said, adding that she hopes to join Alliance Girls High School that was her prime choice.

Constitutional lawyer

For top boy Martin Irungu, who tied with Christine at the high table, his cup of tea is law and he plans to navigate the murky water of Constitutional Law should he qualify to be referred to as "my learned friend".

The first born in a family of two, Irungu wants to champion the rights of the oppressed members of the society to realise their rights as contained in the constitution.

"I would love to be in a court of law and argue cases to obtain justice for people," he said as he adjusted his spectacles, already adopting the stance of a successful lawyer.

Just like the Irungu, Herbert Karanja of Brookfield Academy in Karatina wants to apply his razor-sharp mind to the legal profession.

He scored 441 marks and was the second-best candidate nationally.

Karanja hopes that one day, after practicing as a lawyer for several years, he will become a judge and drive the wheels of justice.

"I believe that one day, I will sit on that bench as a judge and ensure that cases are handled fast, efficiently and with justice, so help me God," he said.

Financial difficulties

Yet another lawyer-in-waiting is Kuol Tito Yak, the South Sudanese who surprised many when he scored 440 marks and emerged the third best candidate across the country in the KCPE exams. He was a pupil at Uthiru Genesis Academy.

Although, he admits to facing financial difficulties in advancing his education due to his refugee status, Yak hopes that one day, he will serve Africa’s newest state of South Sudan as a lawyer or a judge and help his young country build its national structures.

"There is a great need for lawyers in my country. I hope I will have the honour one day to offer my services to South Sudan and help my people have justice," he said with glee.

But before that, he hopes to join Alliance Boys High School to sharpen his mind further, but has appealed to the South Sudan government to come to his financial aid and enable him get quality secondary education in Kenya.

But Diana Adhiambo of Makini School, who was the fifth best student nationally, wants to become the greatest archaeologist Kenya has ever produced, owing to her love of wanting to discover the mysteries of nature.

"I love nature and want to explore more. That’s why I want to be an archaeologist," she said.

She too is hoping to join Alliance Girls High School, which has always been her dream.

With 438 marks in KCPE, the last born in a family of three is defying the odds and going for a rare field of study currently dominated by men.

However, she is aware of the long route, but insists she has the strength and ability for the task ahead.

Another top brain from Makini is Andrew Mwangangi, 13, who scored 436 marks. Mwangangi who was placed fifth nationally wants to be a pilot and fly Boeing and Airbus airplanes around the world. He hopes to join Mangu High School next year.

Noela Wanjiru Maina of Carmelvale Catholic Junior Primary School in Nairobi, who emerged sixth countrywide but had the fifth highest score, says she will become either neurosurgeon or cardiologist.

Having read the bestselling book of US motivational writer and Surgeon Ben Carson titled Think Big, she never looked back that a medical career was definitely for her. But first, she wants admission to either Loreto Convent or Alliance Girls High School.

Neurosurgeon

Incidentally, Kenya has very few Neurosurgeons and cardiologists and mind such as Noela’s are much needed in the profession.

‘I want my life’s mission to be saving people and giving them the good health that they deserve," she said with a broad smile.

For Belinda Adhiambo of MaryJoy Primary School who was Kenya’s sixth best KCPE candidate with 437 marks, her career choice is engineering, which is still largely dominated by men. She specifically loves electrical engineering and is determined to break with convention and stereotypes to achieve a goal deeply embedded in her heart.

"It is my hope that God will help me become an engineer in future. It is what I love most among the careers I know," said the soft-spoken girl.

Engineering is also the first choice for Lupia Endriane Oduory, 14, of Fadhili Junior Academy in Nairobi’s Umoja Estate if his dreams come true. He emerged the tenth best nationally in the KCPE rankings.

He now hopes to join Mang’u High School as the first step to realising his dream, and not surprisingly, his best subjects are mathematics and science, both of which are core to his preferred profession.

"I love handling machines and building things. I am sure engineering is what fits me most. I will do everything I can to realise that dream," he said with calm determination.

Meanwhile, in the next few years, the skies of Kenya might just see planes flown by Kiraga Brian Nzai, who emerged tenth nationally in this year’s KCPE with 437 marks.

The pupil from Kapolei Junior Academy in Kilifi sees himself as the next top pilot in Kenya, as he begins his work to realise the career that sits firmly in mind.

Despite having a hearing impairment, he broke the glass ceiling to emerge among the best and believes his strong will can catapult him to the skies as a professional pilot.

"Since I was young, I have always wanted to fly planes. It is what my mind is focused on and I believe God will help me realise my dream in the near future," he said.