The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
It is not possible that one in eight students failed in practically all subjects. [iStock]
That 46,000 KCSE candidates scored an average grade of E and another 93,000 got D- raises disturbing questions about how students are taught and graded.
This is because it is difficult to understand how such a large number failed all the subjects on which they were examined.
It is not just enough to say that these students failed after spending four years in secondary school and move on after declaring the results.
The Ministry of Education ought to examine the root cause of the poor performance and find ways that can remedy the situation.
It is not possible that one in eight students failed in practically all subjects. Something must be terribly wrong with either the teaching methodology or how the learners were graded.
Education, ideally, ought to unlock the potential of every child to be a productive citizen. As such, when so many are graded as having failed, education stakeholders should take a step back and seek answers that can help to reverse such worrying trends.
Similarly, there is need to design a system that will absorb these learners so that they do not waste away given that every individual has a unique strength that they can leverage to become useful and productive citizens even if they do not continue with formal education.
Whereas Kenyans expect that the competency-based curriculum will address some of the challenges inherent in the 8-4-4 system, including on grading, it is still important to audit the education system with a view to avoiding repeating the same mistakes under the new curriculum.
In the same vein, the government should invest more in technical and vocational training, and in other areas like sports and recreation so that those who perform poorly academically do not fall off the economic wagon. This is a challenge that policymakers ought to address as a priority to safeguard the future of all Kenyan children irrespective of how they perform in exams.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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