On average, a learner who had 200 marks and above and attends classes that cover the syllabus should not get D and below. This is not the KCSE of 1989 or early 90s where there was very limited familiarity with KCSE. What favours students now:
1. Many schools complete the syllabus, some as early as third term Form 3. At Cardinal Otunga, the syllabus is completed in first term of Form 4. The principal working with parents to pay the remedial cash so that teachers can teach extra hours and be appreciated, should ensure that syllabus is completed early enough. That means working harmoniously and closely with PTA so that he/she can’t be accused of “Charging extra”. It should be parents “collecting” after “agreeing”.
2. Almost 6 months of revision and exposure to various ways questions can be twisted in KCSE. This is where claims of leakages come in. Look at many sides KCSE can be set leaves the examiner with no option. Some of those questions will appear in KCSE and you will hear of leakages. It is upon the principals to ensure this revision is done. At Cardinal Otunga, there is even a day the principal launches the revision exercise.
3. Related with 2 above, is the learners drilled on how to score maximumly. As they sit for more and more exams, candidates are warned on what to avoid and what to include to make them score maximumly.
4. The learning materials available to the learners. In our days, you went through books like Abbot and Tom Duncan for Physics, Roberts, Beckett and Aziz, Mackean etc for Biology among others that were not tailored for KCSE but had maybe 40% relevant content. Nowadays there are specific books for each class with content that is bang-on about syllabus. After that, there are 12 to 15 extremely relevant revision books for KCSE. At Longhorn alone, we had several books relevant for KCSE revision. Maths there is Solving Problems by Muturi Paper 1 and 2. Those two alone are enough for one to pass KCSE but we didn’t stop there. There is Star Revision Maths (initially Gateway). This book not only covers the whole KCSE content but also has 20 complete Paper 1 and 2 KCSE model papers with answers given. Another series that I initiated in 2013 is A+ Revision. This covers whole secondary school content in form of question-answer simulating KCSE. For each class, we had Advancing in Maths each for Form 1, 2, 3 and 4. This was a course book for each class. To revise for each class, I initiated Maths Quick Reading for Form 1, 2, 3 and 4.
We didn’t stop there, the last project I had was KCSE Revision Encyclopaedia. That was for each class, Form 1, 2, 3 and 4. We combined for Maths and Sciences, Languages, Humanities and Technical. The approach for the Encyclopaedia is to handle topic after topic in each class, give brief content and refer to a KCSE question in the past (from 1989) that needed knowledge of that topic or sub-topic. You then show how it would have been answered score all the marks. After that, you set other likely KCSE question from that topic or sub-topic. I didn’t stop there. I initiated projects for books based on themes. I called them Mastering. In the Mastering Series you have books like Mastering Map Work, Mastering Photograph Work, Mastering Biology Essays, Mastering Physics Practicals, etc. The intention is to give room to a theme to be explored in depth and breadth which can’t be achieved when compiling the whole class or four- year content. Other publishers have more books like this. Surely why should one get an E? Principals should ensure students acquire these books. They should not wait until Form Four but right from Form One to make parents used to buying books.
5. Familiarity with KCSE questions through books like Made Familiar and A Finder that have all past KCSE questions and their answers. At one time during Matiang’i time when emergency questions were set, KNEC went for the past KCSE questions directly. Can you imagine even teachers told learners that KCSE was from Made Familiar yet the Made Familiar had only picked past papers and published. Let me say here that long ago I wanted to start a project of past KCSE papers then the bureacracy at work told me KNEC would sue us! The lady who started Made Familiar series is now a billionaire.
6. KCSE subjects were reduced. Imagine you did KCSE in 1989 and there were 12 subjects. Compare with a candidate now with 7 subjects. Isitoshe, the content has been reduced. You won’t find Combinations and Permutations in Maths. The detailed Ora Literature where you had even to go research about narratives of your people is no longer there. The complicated Classification in Biology where first term Form One you were drawing and labelling the spirogyra and Euglena apart from knowing the characteristics of Coelenterates is no longer there.
7. Many teachers are familiar with KCSE. Rarely did you find many teachers who marked KCSE even from village schools. These days even Nyamware from Keumbu has an examiner for Maths. These teachers get back to the school and disseminate knowledge on how to answer KCSE questions and pass. It is upon principals to facilitate teachers to train as examiners so that every department has examiners.
8. Discipline and dedication of the learners is key. There are principals with their leadership and Grace that follows them, learners automatically drop laziness and indiscipline. At Cardinal Otunga, there can be a while term without any student being suspended. At Machakos School under Indimuli, any given day there are 200 students on suspension and 100 or in police cells. The bhang usage was about 40%. Theft was rampant as he warned of need to be careful and take care of your property. In other words the victim was blamed for carelessness. The exact scenario obtained at Chavakali where he used to be principal but bhang usage was 60%. Even students below C+ were above 120 in both schools. I once protested how a big school like Machakos Boys shouldn’t be wasting learners like that at KCSE and instead of Indimuli getting my point and we work on how to be better, he went complaining about me to the class teacher who told me about it!
I am trying to show you how the Principal is key in a school.