Why the Kenyan Education System begs for a One-size-fits-all Approach

The Kenyan education system begs for a one-size-fits-all approach

The Kenyan education system can virtually be termed as one of the most rigorous in the globe, considering its high intensity and wide academic coverage, unmatched by other countries’.

But whereas there has been a remarkable embracement of education on aggregate for children among Kenyans from all walks of life, the system still seems to lag behind in shaping the futures for majority of young Kenyans.

As a matter of fact, following the recent behavioural attitudes from the students committing suicide after failing to meet anticipated results, it is evident that the children have been impressed to believe life starts and ends with good academic performance.

Pressure to perform well at school has engulfed the minds of our children to the extent that one cannot define success outside the context of academic prowess.

The deployment of numerous police officers during the examination periods to obstruct examination cheating, is an indication that children are under immense duress from all corners to take home good results –at any cost.

This has resulted in more harm than good. Hours after the Cabinet Secretary for Education released the KCSE results, two of the 2018 examination candidates were reported to have ended their lives upon realising they did not perform to their expectations.

One of them, from Kisii County had scored C-, a grade he had scored last year before he purposed to redo his final year at a different school. The other case was in Kajiado County where an 18-year-old’s body was found dangling in one of the family rooms moments after the coverage of the results’ release was done. About four similar cases were reported in the country after the release of the 2017 KCSE examination.

Guide children

Indubitably, this spiraling trend is set to establish a scornful precedent and paradigm through which national examinations are regarded.

Sadly, its the adults who are imposing such pressure on their young ones, oblivious of the fact that they have a responsibility to guide children and empower them so that education received at school acquires more meaning. The surging scenarios of backlash that helpless children receive from their parents over their performance are uncalled for.

Awakening to the reality that the national examinations results for our children are not an end to themselves, but an informed pointer on how to guide them, is a fundamental premise upon which we can improve our merits of child guidance.

Perhaps one of the reasons that there is such intense pressure on children to perform better at school is the fact that it is believed to be the gateway to earning reputable job opportunities. Whereas this is true in its own right, it is tragic to make this the only way that the young can be successful.

Towards children

The narrow view of success with a one-size-fits-all approach negates individuality and only pre-eminently focuses on academic outcomes. This is not how we can best leverage on our education to raise individuals with talent, expertise and life skills of a global competitive edge.

What happens to the children who fail to score the A’s and B’s that we all wish they get? Do we abandon them and count them undeserving of our support?

Strikingly, for instance, an analysis of the KCSE results released a few days ago indicates that more than half of the candidates scored grade D and below, with about 30,840 candidates managing to get E. As those who managed to perform better will be smiling to join the Universities of their choice, these too need to be arranged for options to rebuild their ‘ruins’ and light up their future.

As such, it is upon the policymakers, parents and guardians to embrace a nurturing attitude towards children, and not one that undermines their efforts.

We ought to synergistically shift from the system that is geared towards best achieving outcomes and have our kids love learning so as to minimise the hierarchy of pressure that overwhelms those at the bottom.

We contribute to their likelihood of taking radical decisions and acquiring deteriorated mental health by the unreasonable demands imposed on them.

If we are to achieve the gold standard of education, like Finland’s where there is no streaming, testing is negligible, competition and comparison between children is anathema, we need to give our kids a chance to be themselves. That way, they’ll have little stress, concentrate on their work and bring genuine results.

Moreover, keep the communication lines open to them, correct them with love and respect, listen to them, nurture their talents, assure them, and more importantly, know your child well enough to notice behaviour change. A sense of responsibility and purpose will then result from such inclusive and engaging education system.

 

Mr Boi is a Monitoring and Evaluation [email protected]