There was a time when academic contests in Kenyan schools were organised with one objective in mind: sharpening learners’ intellectual abilities. They were spaces for mentorship, scholarly exchange, literary growth and talent development.
Unfortunately, some institutions are increasingly reducing these noble platforms into hurried, poorly structured commercial events disguised as academic empowerment. The invitation circulating for the “3rd Annual Maryhill National English Contest & Symposium” raises several uncomfortable questions about the direction some schools are taking.
At first glance, the invitation appears formal and ambitious. It promises an English contest, symposium, guided discussions and talks from “seasoned examiners.” But beneath the polished heading lies a deeply problematic approach to academic programming that reflects broader weaknesses in how some schools conceptualise educational enrichment.
The first concern is the casual inflation of status. Branding the event a “National English Contest” immediately suggests a large-scale, professionally organised academic competition with clear standards, vetted assessment criteria and national legitimacy. Yet the invitation provides almost none of that. There is no explanation of the contest format, judging framework, moderation process, scoring system or academic rationale behind the selected areas of assessment. Serious academic competitions do not operate on vague descriptions and assumptions.
A national contest should demonstrate academic rigour, transparency and institutional credibility. Instead, what emerges here is a loosely arranged school-based event trying to wear a national label without corresponding academic weight. Kenya’s education sector already suffers from branding inflation, where every workshop becomes “international,” every seminar becomes “global,” and every school activity becomes “national” merely for prestige and attraction.
The second issue is the troubling overemphasis on examinations and examinership culture. The invitation proudly advertises “talks from seasoned examiners in paper 1,2&3.” This reflects one of the greatest weaknesses in Kenya’s language education ecosystem: the obsession with exams at the expense of authentic language mastery.
English is not merely a subject for passing examinations. It is a communication tool, a critical thinking medium and a gateway to global participation. Yet many school contests continue recycling the same exam-centred mentality that has already suffocated creativity in classrooms. Students are trained to hunt for marks rather than appreciate literature, argumentation, public speaking or language artistry.
Instead of promoting innovative literary engagement, debate, writing workshops, publishing clinics or creative expression, the symposium appears trapped in the old culture of “tips from examiners.” This reductionist approach weakens intellectual curiosity and reinforces rote learning.
Then comes the glaring issue of structure and professionalism. The event lumps together Grade 10 learners under CBC and Forms 3 and 4 under the 8-4-4 system in one competition framework. That alone exposes the confusion currently affecting transitional education spaces in Kenya. CBC learners are being trained under a competency-based philosophy, while Forms 3 and 4 are products of a different curricular orientation altogether. Combining them within one loosely explained contest framework without demonstrating pedagogical alignment raises serious academic questions.
Even the assessment areas appear hurriedly assembled. Grade 10 learners are assigned comprehension, oral skills, cloze test and grammar. Form 3 students handle excerpts from The Samaritan while Form 4 students tackle “FON,” poetry, grammar and oral skills. The organisation lacks coherence. What exactly are the learning outcomes? What competencies are being measured? What standards inform the contest design? Educational activities should not resemble random examination revision clinics.
More disturbing is the commercialisation embedded in the invitation. Schools are told to pay Ksh 300 per participant and are encouraged to bring “as many participants as possible.” That statement alone shifts the event from academic engagement into mass participant recruitment. One begins to wonder whether the priority is intellectual quality or revenue generation through numbers.
When schools aggressively push for unlimited participant entry fees, academic activities risk becoming financial enterprises disguised as learning opportunities. Genuine educational contests usually regulate participation for quality assurance, logistical efficiency and meaningful learner engagement. Unlimited participation without a clear structure often results in overcrowding, shallow facilitation and diminished academic value.
The invitation also casually instructs participants to “carry a packed lunch,” despite charging participation fees. This may appear minor, but it reflects a larger pattern where institutions increasingly externalise costs to schools and parents while offering minimal value in return. If schools are collecting money from potentially hundreds of participants, stakeholders have a right to expect a professional organization, proper learner welfare arrangements and substantial academic returns.
Equally concerning is the absence of institutional partnerships or professional affiliations. Strong academic symposiums typically involve curriculum experts, universities, publishing houses, professional associations or educational agencies. Here, there is no indication of collaboration with curriculum specialists, language associations or recognised educational bodies. Everything appears internally managed and vaguely defined.
This matters because Kenyan schools must stop normalising mediocrity under the guise of activity. Students deserve intellectually enriching experiences that genuinely develop communication, creativity and analytical thinking. Teachers also deserve professional forums that advance pedagogy rather than recycle predictable examination narratives.
Academic contests can be transformative when properly designed. They can nurture future writers, journalists, lawyers, diplomats, scholars and public intellectuals. But for that to happen, schools must move beyond superficial branding and hurried event planning. Educational activities must prioritise substance over optics.
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If institutions want to host national contests, then let them meet national standards. Let there be clear frameworks, academic depth, pedagogical relevance, professional moderation and transparent objectives. Otherwise, schools risk turning education into an endless cycle of poorly conceptualised events whose primary output is certificates, photos and participation fees rather than genuine intellectual growth.
Kenya’s learners deserve better than academic theatrics masquerading as educational excellence.
By Ashford Kimani
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