Stars fall, new ones rise. Excelling in KCPE does not necessarily mean excelling in the KCSE exam. And performing dismally in one does not mean a student will not sparkle in the next.
The cream of the crop in the 2016 KCPE exam didn't not live up to expectations after failing to secure the spots in the 2020 KCSE exam.
New entrants dominated the academic scene.
An analysis by the Star of the top 100 performers in the 2016 KCPE exams shows only one candidate managed to make it to the top 15 in the 2020 KCSE exam.
Kipkoech Mark Kogo, who remains the last man standing in the 2020 KCSE, managed to secure the sixth position nationally.
Four years ago, he sat his KCPE at Makini Primary School where he got 421 marks and was ranked the best candidate in the institution and position 31 nationally; tying the position with six others.
In the 2016 KCPE exam, Victor Oduor Odhiambo— living with disability — was the top student after getting 437 marks from Daisy Special School in Kakamega; he joined Starehe Boys Centre.
However, the Star has yet to establish the KCSE mark he scored but an analysis of the special needs candidates shows that Oduor’s name did not feature in the top 15 candidates with special needs.
Kipkemboi Miriam Chepleting, of Moi Girls Eldoret, secured the top position among the special needs candidates who sat last year’s KCSE exam.
Kaboi Kevin Ngatia (436) was second in the 2016 KCPE exam, the third was Samuel Monyancha Mogoi (435), Gitonga Caroline Gatwiri and Ogongo Titus Anyona (434) tied for fourth position.
Gatwiri was also the best girl nationally in their KCPE and joined Alliance Girls as the top marks student in 2017; The Star has established that she managed to score an A in KCSE.
However, in the results released by Education CS George Magoha on Monday, none of them were among the top 15 slots.
The Star has established that Kaboi Kevin Ngatia who proceeded to Alliance High School scored Grade A but was dethroned from the first position.
He was the highest-ranked KCPE exam candidate admitted to the institution in 2017.
CHANGE OF FORTUNE
However, a change in fortunes also saw some candidates with dismal performances in the 2016 KCPE exam excel, posting grades that automatically secure places in government-funded universities.
Seven candidates who scored less than 200 marks in KCPE exam managed to scoop B- in KCSE.
They include Hassan Abdullahi who scored 168 marks in the 2016 KCPE, Cheruiyot Bett Dennis (190), Malute Tom Miti (199), Sadera Sampeyo Shaluin (168), Kamar Abdullahi Jimale (163). Ruweika Abdikadir Hassan (193), and Siololo Parmaari Joseph (186).
Others that managed Grade C+ (Plus) include Kipees Siomiti Charity (151), Masharaf Kerow Adan (140) and Abdullahi Daud Mualim (137).
On Monday, Cheruiyot Bett, who is now considered the second most-improved candidate in the 2020 KCSE exam, told the Star he had nearly abandoned his quest to join high school due to the 'demoralising' marks. But his parents and villagers encouraged him.
"My parents encouraged me to further my education, saying what I achieved in primary will not determine what I will score in secondary school and so I decided to join this day school," he said on Monday at Kimargis Secondary School in Bomet Central.
Education CS Magoha said they made it to the list of the most improved candidates four years down the line.
“I am, therefore, even more emboldened this year to name a few candidates who have turned out from the 27 many labelled KCPE “flops” to KCSE stars. We must celebrate them and remind all Kenyans that no child is a failure,” the CS said.
Magoha spoke during the release of the 2020 KCSE exam results in Nairobi on Monday.
“This move now appears to have motivated even more candidates who scored low in the KCPE four years ago to even do better in the 2020 KCSE,” he said.
SPOON FEEDING
Indimuli Kahi, the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association, on Tuesday noted that the difference in instructional style in private schools compared to that in public schools could be responsible for the disparity in performance.
Kahi noted that most public schools adopt the "spoon feeding" technique whereby learners are taught on reading to excel rather than understand.
He says that according to the internationally prescribed standards, a teacher should only contribute 30 per cent of the students' learning process while the learner gathers the remaining 70 per cent.
"Some learners from private schools, which makes up the list of top performers in primary schools, are disoriented by the style of teacher instruction which mainly focuses on helping a learner learn how to read, understand and execute," Kahi said.
However, he disagrees with the index ranking of candidates as this could demoralise them.
“Most of these candidates manage to maintain quality grades but just change the performance index… you clearly cannot condemn a candidate for scoring an A but not maintaining position one,” Kahi said.
Kahi said these students are always under constant pressure to maintain their high score and with such a high bar it could end up causing more harm than good.
Kenya Parents Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo argues that ranking and contrasting student's index performance is a dangerous path as the number does not match their abilities.
However, Maiyo notes that a mix of factors could contribute to top scorers lowering their guard. This including over confidence earned by the high KCPE marks.
"Sometimes, the learners end up being over confident of their performance which negatively affects their KCSE results," Maiyo said.
In the KCSE exams, 752,933 candidates registered to sit the test but only 747,161 sat the 2020 KCSE examinations; this means 3,772 candidates missed the examination.
In the released results, 893 candidates scooped Grade A (plain) — this was an increase from the 627 in 2019 KCSE.
The number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of Grade C+ and above rose to 143,140 compared to 125,746 in 2019.
Some 6,420 got A- (minus), 14,427 B+ (Plus), 25,207 B, 38194 B- (minus), 57,999 C+ (plus), 85,458 C, 109,454 C- (minus), 117,898 D+ (plus), 121,942 D, 137,361 D- (minus) and 28,046 with Grade E.
(Edited by V. Graham.
