Allow varsities to offer upgrade programmes

Now that the dust has settled after the release of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams results, the focus turns to selection and placement of the learners to various courses in universities and colleges. 

Some 246,391 learners out of the more than 900,000 candidates obtained grade C+ and above, qualifying for university. Those who obtained grades C (plain) and C- qualify for diploma courses in universities or technical and vocational education and training institutions, those with D+ and D (plain) qualify for craft certificate courses while those with D- can pursue artisan certificate courses. 

When it comes to degree and diploma programs, many learners will not be admitted to the courses of their dreams. There are quite a few reasons why this scenario obtains, among them the limited spaces for more attractive courses such as medicine and engineering.

Those who fail to get direct placement in their dream courses may still obtain admission as private students or opt to pursue the same in private universities. But only a few have the financial resources to pursue this route.

There is another, much less talked about, reason why some learners fail to get placement in their dream courses — the outsized role played by mathematics. The premium placed on this subject makes it impossible for a candidate with an A- mean grade but with a C (plain) in mathematics to get into any engineering course — a minimum C+ (plus) is required.

A learner with a D+ grade in math is locked out of virtually all courses except maybe Education (Arts), Education (Special Needs Education) and Bachelor of Arts, regardless of overall performance. 

Correcting the anomaly

That mathematics is important in virtually every aspect of life goes without saying. That mathematical ability is indicative of capacity for technical disciplines is also obvious. But the two mathematics papers that KCSE exams candidates sit for may not tell the whole story.

Maybe the candidate learnt in a poorly equipped school. Maybe the candidate was in a good school, but had problems with the teacher and so there was limited motivation. There have also been cases of poor health, and where the papers were particularly difficult.

It was therefore good news when Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that candidates will have a chance to retake all or some of the subjects in July. The new grades, assuming the candidate performs better, will be used in placement. 

The other way of correcting the anomaly is to allow universities, under proper regulation, to offer upgrading programmes, which allow learners to prove their mettle prior to formal admission.

Some universities offered these programmes until around 2018 when they were terminated by the Ministry of Education due to alleged abuse. More recently, the Cabinet approved the return of the programme, but the ministry is yet to develop guidelines.

No student who has demonstrated overall academic ability should be blocked from pursuing their dream just because of their performance in mathematics in a singular exam.

Mr Gori is a communications practitioner specialising in sustainable agriculture and climate change.