Poor performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE),is interpreted differently in several schools. Many a time, a school performs poorly when it fails to hit the target set. A school performs poorly when there is a nose-dive in the mean score.
A school performs poorly when it lags behind in “ranking” of schools at the same status. Poor performance in KCSE can be attributed to umpteen reasons, which forms the nub of this writ:
Failure to launch Form Four programmes at the right time.
Firstly, failure to launch Form Four programme at the right time leads to poor performance in KCSE. No wonder, schools should swing swiftly into action, and launch the class post-haste. Make Form Four candidates be conscious of climes and times. Set targets. Unveil expectations. On teachers’ side, constitute and consolidate a formidable Form Four dream team: to implement the rigorous academic programmes in the candidate class throughout the year. Focus on periodic review of the programme. Make data-driven decision-making.
Failure to plan.
Secondly, failure to plan leads to poor performance in KCSE. Therefore, schools should have pragmatic plans. For it shouldn’t be, we shall cross the bridge once we get there. In lieu, powers-that-be should work on academic strategic meetings. So, I dote on great quote by William Arthur Ward on four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.
Therefore, mobilise all relevant stakeholders: to become sure supporters and generators of viable ideas pertaining peak performance in KCSE. Engage in powerful Parental Empowerment and Engagement (PE&Es) through well-thought-out academic clinics. Then, develop Academic Action Plans (AAPs) for the three terms. Embrace episodic revision model. Develop timetables for every puissant programme. Encourage periodic review sessions.
Failure to address emerging trends in setting and marking.
Thirdly, failure to address emerging trends in setting and marking of KCSE leads to poor performance in KCSE. Therefore, schools should buy, study and implement raft of recommendations pointed out in KNEC reports. Teachers should attend subject-based seminars to keep abreast of emerging trends in their disciplines. Compel candidates to revise and review plenty of past papers. Make wise use of subject experts and examiners.
Lack of joint effort and teamwork.
Consequently, lack of joint effort and teamwork leads to poor performance in KCSE. So, Principals should foster teamwork. The staff should demonstrate it. TEAM is Together Everyone Achieves More. In The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, John C. Maxwell postulates: For the dream to work, there must be teamwork. The dream is the overall mean score the school yearns to scoop.
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The dream is the comely career every Form Four candidate longs to pursue after high school, which is impossible through scores of disgraceful grades. Ipso facto, teamwork comes through team building and bonding. Likewise, there should be inter-departmental bench-marking meetings, horizontal teaching and team teaching.
Lack of ample preparation.
Actually, lack of ample preparation leads to poor performance in KCSE. Preparation is academic, psychological and spiritual. When students have adequate academic preparation, they can hardly succumb to psychological challenges such as exam fear, fever and panic. Teachers should ensure there is effective content mastery and retention.
Schools should focus on the tripartite arrangement: Teaching, testing and re-teaching. Meaning, in great management of the candidate class, schools adept at it, blend teaching with testing. Schools expand learning time — through remedial and revision sessions. On spiritual preparation, it means, God must be at the centre of it all. Schools can press all buttons while positioning Form Four candidates for nonpareil performance, but without God, everything is zilch. For Proverbs 21:31 posits, “A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory comes from the Lord.”
Lack of discipline and character.
Withal, lack of discipline and character in candidates leads to poor performance in KCSE. Therefore, schools should focus on programmes that make and mould students. Schools should strengthen spiritual programmes. There should be deft departments of Guidance and Counselling in our schools. The office of Deputy Principal (administration) should ensure that discipline prevails. They should firmly deal with every recalcitrant student in the candidate class.
Failure to prop up struggling students.
Then, failure to prop up struggling students in the candidate class leads to poor performance in KCSE. For there are Form Four candidates seemingly weak and sick academically. There are schools that treat them through embracing all forms of ability grouping. Teachers serve more RATs and CATs. Then, there should be more remedial lessons, more consultations and productive group discussions. More should be done in relation to the “a-must-come-areas”, commonly known as the Table of Specification (ToS).
Failure to train Form Fours on art of exams.
Moreover, failure to train Form Fours on art of exams leads to poor performance in KCSE. The unique technique is; after completion of syllabus, teachers should schedule subject-based seminars and symposiums. Invite guest examiners and experts to polish pale parts. Dot the I’s and cross the T’s. The nub of training Form Fours on art of exams is to run an in-depth exams system. Form Four candidates should know marks allotted to every question, points required and grievous goofs that invite penalties.
Lack of holistic homestretch programme.
Likewise, lack of holistic homestretch programme leads to poor performance in KCSE. Schools that shine as stars in exams assist students to finish the race with great grace. With bravery and bravado. With strength and stamina. How? They develop a holistic homestretch or last lap programme. They compel candidates to finish the last lap with power like champions. Schools must also know; attitude of finitude can contribute to poor finishing. Resist movements, wars, fights, discord, disunity, lack of targets, poor mobilisation of resources and quick dismissal of what can work – limits success in many ways.
Compromising exam integrity.
Moreover, compromising exam integrity leads to poor performance in KCSE. Too true, when Form Four candidates have an inkling that you will assist them to cheat, they stop pushing the envelope. They rest and relax. They take things for granted and become mediocre: Being at the bottom of the top. Or at the top of the bottom. Cheating is building on quick sand, and such a foundation is wrong in any academic agora. In The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders, Jesus warned, it cannot withstand vagaries of nature. When KNEC detects cheating at a certain centre and tightens the noose, schools experience the pratfall – an embarrassing fall.
Lack of affirmative action in problematic subjects.
Finally, lack of affirmative action in problematic subjects leads to poor performance in KCSE. More so, subjects that recorded poor performance in the national analyses of KCSE performance. For example, in KCSE 2025, meta-analysis of national performance depicts that there was poor performance in the two humanities – History and Government and CRE.
Broadly, Mathematics and Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) pose a chilling challenge to several students across board. Therefore, it is important to ascertain subjects that brought down the schools mean score, as well as discover problematic areas; are within stupendous strategy of affirmative action.
For instance, schools should ensure that Form Four candidates have updated their notes in humanities. Schools should nurture and cultivate rich reading culture. Form Four candidates should have extra exercise books for work in Mathematics. There should be more practical lessons in the Sciences. Schools should expand teaching and learning time.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ rolls out talks and training services in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com 0704420232
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