This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
As the 2019 KCPE examination results were released, Form One selection and placement began. However, the outcome revealed a concerning trend: most pupils had selected elite schools, such as Pangani Girls High School, the two Alliances, Moi Girls, Kenya High, Limuru Girls, Kapsabet Boys, Mang'u and Lenana high schools.
During the annual head teachers' conference in Mombasa, Cabinet Secretary of Education, Prof George Magoha, commented on the issue. He noted that pupils had erred in selecting their secondary schools of choice, with some selecting three top schools due to ignorance or lack of proper guidance.
Prof Magoha emphasized that instead of blaming pupils, we should blame teachers and parents who are supposed to guide them. He pointed out that in high school, students are guided in selecting their subjects and university courses, but this guidance was lacking for Form One students.
As a mentor of high school scholars, any time I offer guidance to Form Four students, I do not tell them that some universities are better than others. First, we channel our focus on the selection of the course, then search for the university that offers it.
However, the 2019 KCPE results showed that pupils were in a state of dilemma, with every girl wanting to join Pangani Girls and every boy wanting to join Mang'u. This desire for elite schools can be attributed to the drum major instinct, the desire to lead the parade, as preached by Martin Luther King Jr.
However, we should let our boys and girls know that not all of them can fit in the Alliance schools. Getting the highly-coveted chance at Moi Girls is not a true guarantee that a student will pass with flying colours. We have seen some students who secure chances in elite schools but eventually fail to put in the effort.
It is essential to whisper this statement in their ears: 'a lizard in Africa cannot be a crocodile in America.' This means that students should be realistic about their abilities and not expect to excel in schools that are beyond their capabilities.
