Private schools’ celebrations of impressive KJSEA results have, in many cases, been abruptly cut short by the release of Senior School placement outcomes. What initially appeared to be a season of triumph—marked by colourful posters, congratulatory banners, social media graphics, and bold declarations of “Exceeding Expectations”—has quickly given way to confusion, disappointment, and even anger among parents. With shock, many parents are discovering that Exceeding Expectations alone does not guarantee a learner a place at a national school. Yet, their schools had confidently projected such outcomes as the natural reward for excellent performance. The painful reality is that the Senior School placement criteria did not consider points in the traditional sense, exposing a serious gap between school messaging and the actual philosophy of placement under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
For decades, Kenyan parents were conditioned to equate examination performance with educational destiny. Under the 8-4-4 system, high marks translated almost automatically into access to national schools, which were viewed as the pinnacle of academic success and social mobility. That mindset remains deeply entrenched, particularly among private schools whose branding and competitiveness have long depended on examination outcomes and transition rates to elite institutions. The transition to CBE disrupted this linear logic, but many schools continued to speak the old language of points, ranks, and prestige, even as policy shifted decisively in another direction.
KJSEA results, by design, are descriptive rather than comparative. Labels such as Exceeding Expectations, Meeting Expectations, or Approaching Expectations are meant to reflect levels of competency attainment, not to sort learners into a rigid hierarchy. However, in the hands of aggressive school marketing, these descriptors were repackaged as substitutes for the old points system. Posters celebrating large numbers of learners “exceeding expectations” implicitly suggested superiority and, by extension, entitlement to national school placement. Parents understandably assumed that excellence, however defined, would still unlock the most coveted school spaces.
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Senior School placement has, however, been guided by a broader and more complex framework. It considers learner pathway choices, aptitude, career interests, school capacity, equity, gender balance, regional representation, and the availability of specialised tracks in schools. National schools are now aligned to specific pathways—STEM, Arts and Sports Science, and Social Sciences—and placement depends on matching learners to these pathways rather than merely rewarding overall academic strength. Excellence, in general terms, does not automatically translate into suitability for a particular path or availability of space in a national institution.
This reality has caught many parents off guard, not because the policy is hidden, but because schools did not explain it sufficiently. In some cases, schools either misunderstood the placement criteria themselves or chose to downplay them to sustain parental confidence and protect their public image. As a result, parents are now grappling with the uncomfortable feeling that they celebrated too early, trusted too much, or were not given the whole picture. The posters that once inspired pride now feel misleading, even cruel, in the face of placements that do not align with expectations.
The emotional toll on learners cannot be ignored. Many children internalised the message that “exceeding expectations” meant they were destined for national schools. When placement results contradicted this narrative, some learners experienced confusion, diminished self-worth, and a sense of failure—despite having performed well by all reasonable standards. This outcome directly undermines the spirit of CBE, which seeks to nurture confidence, recognise diverse talents, and move learners away from narrow, exam-driven definitions of success.
At the heart of this issue lies a deeper ethical question about honesty and leadership in education. Celebrating achievement is essential, but celebration without context becomes misinformation. Schools have a duty not only to teach learners but also to educate parents about systemic changes. By continuing to frame success using old metrics, some private schools have resisted the philosophical shift demanded by CBE, choosing instead to straddle two worlds: publicly embracing competency-based language while privately clinging to exam-era promises.
It is also important to acknowledge that national schools are limited by design. They cannot—and were never intended to—absorb all high-performing learners. CBE deliberately promotes parity of esteem among different types of senior schools, recognising that a small number of institutions should not monopolise quality education. When private schools overemphasise national school placement as the ultimate goal, they inadvertently devalue other senior schools and reinforce an elitist narrative that the new system is trying to dismantle.
Moving forward, a reset is necessary. Schools must communicate candidly and early about what KJSEA results mean—and what they do not mean. Parents need to understand that excellence opens doors, but it does not predetermine which door a learner will walk through. Success under CBE is about alignment: between ability, interest, opportunity, and national needs. That message must replace the simplistic promise that good results equal prestigious placement.
Parents, too, must recalibrate expectations. Investing in private education should not be based solely on the hope of national school placement but on the broader development of the learner. In the CBE era, a well-matched senior school—regardless of label—can offer richer growth than a mismatched prestigious one.
The cutting short of celebrations in private schools is therefore more than a momentary disappointment; it is a reckoning. It reveals the tension between old habits and new realities, between marketing and truth, between examination culture and competency-based reform. How schools respond to this moment—by doubling down on old narratives or embracing honest, learner-centred communication—will determine whether trust is rebuilt or further eroded. In the end, the accurate measure of educational excellence lies not in posters or placements, but in integrity, clarity, and the learner’s long-term success.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub-county and serves as Dean of Studies.
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