Freedom in Speech

Written by Admin Wednesday, 28 December 2011 19:50

What a man can do a woman can do and even better.

This is evident with the just released class eight results as the girls shine with the top pupil being Kagri Christine Muthoni who led the lot with 442 marks. Generally the girls have improved and have increased in number from previous years, this is as a result of parents honouring their promises of taking the girl child to school, helping them grow and treat them equally with the boy child.

As the results of the Kenya Certificate of primary Examination (KCPE) where being released earlier today there was an evident increase of 32% in the number of candidates who sat for the exams since the introduction of the free primary education in 2003.

More than 700,000 candidates sat for this year’s examinations, with the girls catching up to the boys- 401,504 boys candidates and 374,316 girl candidates. Generally there was an increase of 21,000 candidates from those registered last year.
This was the first exams done under the pilot project of electronic registration of candidates and while the government is on the process to scrap off the current 8-4-4 education system and replace it with the 2-6-6-3 which is meant to increase on the quality of education.

“Though we have not completely controlled the cheating cases in our exams, we are proud to say that the cases are minimal now” said the minister for education Sam Ongeri during the announcing of the results at mitihani house where they were released by the Kenya national of examination council.

“Making pupils repeat classes or enrolling them at an older age does not make them excel rather it worsens the situation” Ongeri advised parents who think of the latter.

The minister also announced of the extension of the first and second terms so as to increase the learning weeks giving humble time to third term for revision.

As the holidays come to an end, it’s clear that parents are in again for another punch with the opening of a new educational term come January due to the high cost in prices and the tough times. Most parents say they won’t be able to afford all the required items for the new term leave alone the school fees required.