2019 KCSE Results: KCPE low performers bounce back to score good grades

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has condemned the practice of celebrating top performers in national exams while at the same time jeering those who register low grades.

CS Magoha, speaking on Wednesday during the release of the 2019 KCSE exam results, castigated families that marry off girls who score low marks and send off boys to do menial jobs.

According to the Education CS, this amounts to writing the children off as academic dwarfs, saying this should not be the case as they can actually turn around their fortunes.

“Each year, we celebrate the top performers, lift them shoulder high and buy them all forms of gifts. Parents flock to top national schools to seek admission of these candidates,” he said.

“On the contrary, we sneer at and express all forms of contempt at the candidates who score 200 marks and below. We write them off from future academic excellence.”

He further added: “Our analysis of how individual candidates who scored as little as 177 ended up scoring top grades in the KCSE is one story of extreme hope and encouragement, especially coming in the face of the new Government policy of allowing all KCPE candidates to join Form One.”

He also castigated parents who force their children to repeat primary school after scoring low marks in KCPE, hence driving them to extremes such as suicide.

“We, as parents, have failed…because I remember a candidate had 195 marks (in KCPE) and went and committed suicide. Another one had 320 and the parent must have been extremely stupid because you don’t tell somebody with 320 to go and repeat…that one also committed suicide,” he said.

Prof. Magoha named a few candidates who scored relatively low marks in their KCPE exams but bounced back to score good grades in KCSE, as follows;

1. Kinyua Milka Wanjiru: (KCPE; 179 marks, KCSE: B-)
2. Munyoki E. Mwikali: (KCPE; 199 marks, KCSE; B-)
3. Sharon Cheopkoech: (KCPE; 183 marks, KCSE; C+)
4. Mbugua R. Macharia: (KCPE; 169 marks, KCSE; C+)
5. Joseph G. Mwangi: (KCPE; 193 marks, KCSE; C+)
6. Mureti Timoty: (KCPE; 194 marks, KCSE; C+)
7. Adam Ngombo Jefa: (KCPE; 199 marks, KCSE; C+)
8. Joseph M. Njuguna: (KCPE; 183 marks, KCSE; C+)
9. Peter E. Mugendi: (KCPE; 192 marks, KCSE; C+)
10. Omari Oriagi Raphael: (KCPE; 177 marks, KCSE; C+)
11. Muchai S. Gachie: (KCPE; 277 marks, KCSE; A-)
12. Daniel Charo Kombe: (KCPE; 222 marks, KCSE; B+)
13. Sakawa Oisebe Lameck: (KCPE; 219 marks, KCSE; B+)
14. Woe Mohamed Sike: (KCPE; 215 marks, KCSE; B)
15. Kimwecha Milkah: (KCPE; 208 marks, KCSE; B)
16. Anori Clinton: (KCPE; 209 marks, KCSE; B)