THE FORGOTTEN MASSES, THE CHOSEN FEW

As the Kenya certificate of secondary education kicks off, students, parents and all the Kenyans cannot help but worry about the fate of the candidates. It has always been a clear trend that in Kenya that the individual outcome of the exams determine the student’s future. Therefore parents and students will go to life threatening heights to ensure that they secure a better future.

There have been numerous cases of irregularities reported in previous exams with the peak being in 2007. These irregularities made Kenyans lose faith in KNEC and our examination system. Therefore KNEC has stepped up the hunt for the students that cheat and those that aid them with the involvement of the criminal investigation department.

But now the question comes; why would a student decide to risk his/her entire future just to cheat in an exam? Why would parents spend a lot of money buying leaked exam papers for their children knowing that this will give them an unfair advantage over the others, and that the grades that the candidate will get are not genuine?
The answer to these two questions is because our systems do not give them much of a choice. Let me explain

First, the pass mark for university intake ensures that averagely bright children are cut out of the higher learning institutions. This year there was a record high intake of students in the public universities, about 24,000 students, up from our traditional 10,000. These numbers are set to go higher with the reforms initiated by the suspended minister of higher education Hon William Ruto. Still, what is a mere 24,000, opposed to the over 300,000 candidates sitting for the examination this year?
This level of competition drive chills down the spines of the parents who have nurtured ambitions for their children. One cannot imagine losing all the investments they have made in educating the candidates

Instead of investing in finding and catching the exam cheats, the government and examination bodies should concentrate on creating opportunities to pursue higher education for the candidates. The increase in intakes this year caused allot of hustle with many students in different public universities failing to secure accommodation.

There should be a system that doesn’t only give opportunities to the As and B pluses but will also tell the Cs and the Ds where to develop skills that will help them secure a better future.

The universities need upgrading in order to be able to offer effective professional training to more students and therefore increasing the opportunities and reducing the competition.

The government should not only subsidize education for the high grades but should also offer affordable and quality solutions to those who cannot manage As.
This way parents and students can accept their potential knowing truthfully well that there are options and opportunities for them. And then we are justified to prosecute those who still cheat.