Xaverian Primary and Junior Secondary School in Kisumu, which faces infrastructure challenges for the 3,160 learners, is expecting to post good results in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.
The school has limited infrastructure such as classrooms and toilets to comfortably accommodate the learners.
School headteacher George Polo said there are 350 learners in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) with 2,512 in grades one to eight (primary) and 298 in Junior Secondary School, totaling 3,160 learners.
“This is a big number and our infrastructure is very stretched. Looking at the number of learners in each stream is really very big as we have an average of 80 learners in every class,” Polo said.
Polo said 268 candidates will sit for KCPE with 298 grade six pupils taking the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams.
He said they are prepared and ready for the KCPE.
“We are prepared as a school and have done our part. We have taught these children very well and completed our syllabus throughout what is expected out of them,” he said.
The rehearsal will be done on Friday. KCPE starts on October 30 and ends on November 1, 2023. The school, he said, will be expecting to have improvement compared to last year.
Last year, the school produced the highest number of candidates who scored 400 marks in Kisumu County.
“We had 14 candidates with over 400 marks and we look forward to not less than 20 candidates to attain that mark this year,” Polo said.
In the last three years, he noted that the school has been on an improving trend. The school had 16 candidates who scored over 400 marks with 45 candidates admitted to national schools in 2021.
Out of 211 candidates in 2022, 50 percent of them went to national schools.
Polo said they target a mean score of 362 this year.
“We are closing now at the last assessment exams, in which we got 351. We are not far away from reaching our target,” he said.
Last year, the school scored a mean of 337.
For the KPSEA class, the school expects to have at least 70 per cent getting exceeding expectations. “We have prepared them and they are ready for the exams,” the head teacher said.
The school has engaged stakeholders in preparation for the exams and held prayers for the candidates.
Polo lauded the Ministry of Education for the support, especially the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) accorded the school.
“We have enough teachers both for primary and junior secondary,” he added.
In terms of facilities such as toilets, he said they are not adequate but they are trying as a school to have the children learn in a conducive environment.
“The school is immaculate and conducive for learning despite inadequate infrastructure required. We are grateful for the support from the parents and government,” Polo said.
The parents, he said, are very supportive and cooperative on matters of education, including the board which termed it diligent in decision-making in regards to the school.
On the long holiday, Polo said they have given learners takeaway assignments that would keep them engaged and more productive.
“We have talked with the parents and written letters to them to engage the learners in activities which will develop their personality and character while on holiday,” he said.
Polo noted that it would not be easy for the parents during the long holiday but it would be an opportunity to interact with the children.
The schools closed on October 25 and would resume learning on January 8.