Dreams crushed: Pupils’ lives and bright futures snuffed out

The seven pupils who died on Monday after their classroom collapsed had big dreams and wanted to pass their exams, join top schools and pursue lucrative careers

Apart from the school and the classroom they shared, the seven pupils of Precious Talents Academy in Dagoretti South shared big dreams.

They saw the national examination as their key to a bright future. And their parents, too, shared in the dreams.

From becoming doctors to university dons, their ambitions were unhindered.

Unperturbed by the early morning routines and not-so-comfortable habitat, Germine Njeru was determined to be a medical doctor; a dream cut short.

RAYS OF SUNSHINE

She was the best in her class and was the school’s top student and index 001. Pastor David Njeru, her father, remembers his last meal with her on Sunday night.

“I cannot imagine that I would no longer see my girl alive. So traumatising for me,” Pastor Njeru of Gate of Holiness Worship Centre in Ng’ando said.

Mrs Njeru recalls: “I was escorting her younger sibling to school when her father asked me to rush to Precious Talents School.”

And just like Germine, Teddius Kinyanjui was the ray of sunshine in his mother’s life.

Teddius, 13, was described as bright and athletic child. His aunt, Ruth Wangui, said he was a focused young man. “The boy had promised he would excel in his final exams.”

MOURNING

Being a single parent and mother to a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidate and without a formal job, Regina Wanjiru could only finance her son’s education with support from relatives. In the hospital, she stared blankly unable to speak.

Another pastor from the same church as the Njeru’s also lost a child.

Pastor Issack Idambo told Nation the last recollection he has of his 13-year-old daughter Emnah was in the church choir that led the worship session on Sunday.

Emnah, his firstborn, was described by her father as a hard-working student, who was highly ambitious.

“She wanted to go to Starehe Girls upon completion of her primary school. She wanted to be a lecturer one day, and we had no doubt that she was going to be one,” the pastor said.

Now the family is not gathered to sing, but to mourn the death of Emnah.

WARM HEART

Following the classroom collapse, the family had rushed her to Medihill Hospital in Kawangware. She sustained head and chest injuries.

When they got there, the family was informed that Emnah was dead. Her body was taken to Chiromo mortuary.

Whitney Wekesa was not lucky to join Class Eight as her lifeless body was placed on a police van. The Standard Seven girl’s dreams were snuffed out.

Jacqueline Gesare’s smile from an old photo depicts a girl with a warm heart. At 12 and in Standard Six, she had her life and bright future ended in the morning tragedy.

The family had to undergo a day of confusion and heartache when they were informed at the Chiromo mortuary that they had to go back to Satellite Police Station to first get a report before they would receive the body.

NEGLECT

Experts had condemned the building, calling it “a complete structural failure”, and had authorities heeded the call to have this school and many others in Nairobi County inspected, the tragedy could have been avoided.

The school’s administrators and local leaders also turned a deaf ear to pupils’ and parents’ complaints about the structure.

Harriet Ndunge and Monica Kemunto are the other pupils who died. The Nation could not get the identity of the eighth pupil.

Reports by Nasibo Kabale, Verah Okeyo, James Kahongeh and Daniel Ogetta