Are grades the sole determinant for success in life?

Ominde Moses (center), a visually impaired candidate from Maranda High school celebrate with his family in Kisumu after scoring A- of 80 points.[Collins Oduor, Standard]

From the day KCSE results were announced, acres of media space have been used to discuss top students, top schools, the number of A’s, those who qualified for university, and the list is endless. I watched a TV station discuss this for 20 minutes and I asked myself, what of the over 600,000 students not in this bracket? What are they feeling?

Do not get me wrong, I am in no way saying that working hard and getting A’s is bad! What I am opposed to is the glory we put on these few and branding others as “failures.” People are gifted in different ways. Good or bad grades are not the only determinant for success or failure in life.