This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
December 19, 2019, marked a significant milestone in Kenya's education system as the country's national exams began to show signs of improvement. The reforms implemented four years ago to restore sanity in national exams have started to pay dividends.
After a dip in performance over the past four years, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination has seen a significant improvement. The number of students scoring A grades has increased, with 627 students achieving this feat compared to 315 last year. Similarly, the number of students scoring C+ and above has risen dramatically to 125,746 from 90,377.
The improved performance is a testament to the effectiveness of the reforms. The education system requires progressive growth in enrolment and transition, and the recent results indicate that the reforms are on the right track. The growth is incremental and manageable, providing hope for private institutions that were affected by the decline in university qualifiers.
However, the exams still exhibit disparities in terms of regional performance. Schools from the coastal and northeastern regions did not perform as well as their counterparts from other regions. National school candidates dominated the A grades, producing 495 of the 627. Private schools had 67 As, extra-county schools 61, and sub-county schools four. County schools did not produce an A.
Despite the disparities, girls' schools performed well, with Kenya High taking the top honours with 76 straight As. However, boys still outperformed girls in the overall scheme of things, with boys excelling in the sciences and girls doing well in languages and social sciences.
The exams have also highlighted the inequality in the school system, with those well-endowed – naturally, the national schools – offering better opportunities for success and higher progression in society.
With the exam results out, the next question is progression. Some 125,746 high school leavers will proceed to university, but what about the rest, constituting about three-quarters of the cohort? The government has expanded the tertiary sector, particularly technical and vocational education and training (TVET), offering competitive courses and scholarships.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has pledged to keep his foot on the pedal, and the onus is on education managers to stay the course and extend the reforms to all sectors. The sanctity of national exams must be maintained, and never again should we allow charlatans to invade the education sector and use exams as a means for profiteering and personal aggrandisement.
