This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
On the release of the 2019 KCSE exam results, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha expressed concern over the treatment of students who score low marks in national exams.
Speaking on Wednesday, Prof. Magoha castigated families that marry off girls who score low marks and send off boys to do menial jobs, saying this amounts to writing the children off as academic dwarfs.
He noted that each year, top performers are celebrated and gifted, while those who score low marks are sneered at and written off from future academic excellence.
Prof. Magoha cited several examples of students who scored low marks in KCPE but went on to score good grades in KCSE, including Kinyua Milka Wanjiru, who scored 179 marks in KCPE but achieved a B- in KCSE.
He also condemned parents who force their children to repeat primary school after scoring low marks in KCPE, citing cases of students who committed suicide due to such pressure.
Prof. Magoha emphasized that students who score low marks should not be written off, as they can turn their fortunes around with the right support and encouragement.
