Raila Odinga applauds KNEC for speedy release of KCSE results, wants probe on mass failure

NASA leader Raila Odinga: He wants 2017 KCSE exam results probed.

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga on Thursday called for investigations into what he termed as ‘worrying trend of mass failure’ in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

Raila said over 90 percent of the candidates who sat for the national examination failed and asked that a task force be set up to probe the failure of this year’s KCSE.

"As a society, we must listen to the cries of the candidates, the parents and teachers' unions on this matter and have a serious conversation about this worrying trend," he said in a statement.

The NASA leader applauded Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) for the speedy release of results and efforts to try and curb exam cheating that has been witnessed for the past years. He also congratulated candidates and teachers whose performance was exemplary.

Comparison

The Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Wednesday, while releasing the results, commended the notable improvement in the 2017 KCSE performance. 

Details of the results show that like last year, the number of candidates scoring the coveted grade A remained low. Only 142 students managed straight As in the examination, just one candidate more compared to last year, where 141 candidates scored As.

Data from KNEC shows that Alliance Girls had the highest number of A’s, recording a total of 16.

The number of A minus grades fell compared to last year.  Only 2, 714 candidates scored A– compared to 4,645 last year. Overall, the number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of C+ and above also fell this year. 70,073 students scored C+ compared to 88,929 in 2016.

The results indicate over 500,000 candidates scored below university cut-off grade. Only 70,073 candidates managed to obtain the C+ grade.

13 subjects recorded an improved performance from last year’s five, with English, Mathematics Alternative A and Geography posting most improved performance.

Suicide

On Thursday, a 2017 KCSE candidate, Carren Ouman committed suicide in Migori County by jumping into a well after her parents allegedly quarreled her for poor performance.

Ouma sat for the examinations at Moi Nyabohanse High school in Kuria Sub County and attained grade C- (minus).