This week is one of a kind in our country. No national examination results have in the recent years, ever been publicised in May as we have now experienced, courtesy of the impact of coronavirus pandemic. What is your view about the. performance?  Personally, I wish to reserve my comments on the supposedly improved performance standards, in light of the numerous indications of the comeback of exam cheating.

All the same, we are still accessing results from the schools which had experienced our empowerment seminars last year. Each year, there is always some outstanding achievements, especially with regard to increase of students qualifying to join university. In 2018, we were excited about a school in Nairobi whose increase was 111-177(59.45%), while the same happened regarding a school in Muranga in 2019 whose numbers rose from 51-86 (68.62%).

In the 2020 KCSE Exams, we have so far witnessed a school in Machakos county where the number rose from 68-99 (45.59%).  The beauty of all this is that the candidates always have clear minds of their next causes of action, especially with regard to their career choices.

Meanwhile, upon announcement of the results, my day in the evening was made by a TV interview of the two best performers of the 2020 Examinations. Simiyu Robinson, the best student was full of praise of Muranga High School where he was just admitted without ever having chosen or knowing where exactly it was located. But, come the coronavirus pandemic, the school’s engagement with the students was profound.

In addition to conducting online lessons, the senior teachers of the school ensured to ocassionary visit the students in their far away homes. The aim was not only to encourage them, but also help them in whatever challenges they were experiencing. As such, the top performer was full of praise regarding the efforts of the school principal as well as the deputy, for the home visits.

The revelations of the 2nd best student were astounding. Allan Wasonga  of Agolo Sale HS, Homabay, whose mother is a tailor and father in business, had his own serious challenges. He never experienced any online lessons during the pandemic. More so, his greatest challenge in school was tackling studies in the English Language. as a subject. It was quite a mountain task according to Wasonga.

During trials, he could score straight As in the 5 science subjects, but eventually end up acquiring a B- (minus) in English. Actually, Wasonga’s expressions clearly illustrated his level of frustration in English. Nevertheless, he worked extremely hard to finally achieve A in the subject as well. Are there some key lessons from the experience of Wasonga, the 2nd best KCSE 2020 candidate?

It is now extremely clear that we are all gifted differently, isn’t it? In academics, one person’s challenge is a gift to another. Have you elaborately read the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century?

Right from 2015, it llustrated the real life case of Angelica, who as a D student was performing better in Mathematics and extremely poorly in other subjects. It was even worse in English to the extent that her semi-literate father could not understand how his daughter was unable to handle English, a subject that was according to him, easier than almost all others.

Anyway, to shorten the story, Angelica the D student eventually became a qualified Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) against all odds. Do you know that there are numerous brilliant Kenyans that are unable to handle CPA-K as Angelica did? Apparently, Angelica and Wasonga are genetically aligned in the same way. Can you imagine!

The only difference is that Wasonga is a brilliant student who after putting himself under great pressure became an all rounder and beat all Kenyan Students, except one in the KCSE 2020 examinations. Unfortunately, many students especially in the leading schools, who have struggled to achieve A’s the Wasonga way have ended up becoming spoilt of choices while joining universities. They have ended up asking  themselves; do I become a lawyer, engineer, doctor or what?

On that basis especially of being guided by extrinsic factors, majority have eventually become mediocre Lawyers, mediocre Engineers, mediocre Doctors and many others. Perhaps an interesting example can confirm this, I personally know of a lawyer admitted to the bar as an advocate, who has reached  retirement age, and is still practicing law, but has never entered a court of law for whatever business! He simply fears expressing himself as others do. Such issues have predominantly led us to becoming a mediocre country. Shall we ever recover from that?

The good news is that the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, shed the light on the subject in 2015, thus the approval for circulation in Kenyan Secondary Schools in 2016. At the same time, it was used for the architecture of the new curriculum-CBC. Alongside, it has guided the 8-4-4 curriculum students on how to overcome their performance weaknesses, through the concept of working SMART rather than hard.

Most importantly, the academically challenged Angelicas and brilliant Wasongas with noteceable areas of weakness should no longer be victims of their own challenges. The CBC will be expected to align all, to their strengths, thus contributing to eradication of the well known mediocrity in our beloved nation. More still, experience  from the schools we have empowered, has demonstrated that the 8-4-4 students who apply the knowledge acquired from us become aligned with the 21st Century Paradigms, don’t they?

Rgds

Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Consultant/Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Officially UNSUNG Architect of CBC
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life
3. The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018)  for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254772516210

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