VCE results show a public-private divide

Traditional Kenyan celebrations were held at the home of Heathdale Christian College student Sarah Irungu in Werribee after her results came in.

The Irungu family had a prize pool for the member who guessed closest to Sarah’s final score. Her aunt Jess Mwenda won the pool with a prediction of 96.5.

Heathdale Christian College student Sarah Irungu and her family celebrated the student’s 96.6 ATAR score on Thursday.Credit: Justin McManus

“I was the most pessimistic,” Sarah said. “I was thinking 93, but my brother was the confident one and said 99.”

In the end, the impressive ATAR score of 96.6 sparked applause, dancing and loud renditions of traditional Kenyan celebration songs in the living room.

Sarah’s grandmother, Mary Irungu, traveled from Scotland with her husband for the occasion and took a pot lid and spoon to provide percussion music while dancing.

“It was pretty crazy,” he said.

His stunning result means he can get into the University of Melbourne to study science, which requires a 74+ degree.

There were at least four sets of twins at Kew High who received their VCE results, including school dux Toby Jenkin, who woke up with an ATAR of 99.9.

That’s more than enough to get him into his target course, a bachelor’s degree in science and a master’s degree in computing at the University of Melbourne.

As success gradually emerged, Jenkins said, “I thought I was going to do something good.” “But as good as this is, it’s not really what I was expecting.”