West Pokot Member of County Assembly Elijah Kaseuseu captured the imagination of Kenyans on Tuesday after he shared his 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.
The results showed that Kaseuseu scored a D+ with the politician remaining defiant and announcing his intentions to continue pursuing his academic aspirations.
"I'm very proud of myself. This journey I will walk slowly until I own a Degree. No matter what! Congratulations to me," he stated.
However, the politician's move to share the results online elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans who cited his example to justify the argument that the academic bar in the Kenyan political landscape has been set so low.
A section of Kenyans complained that the low academic requirements for politicians were a major contributor to the country's poor economic development and the decisions that have made the country perform below its potential.
Others questioned how he secured the MCA position without a KCSE certificate. However, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), in 2022 revealed that MCA aspirants did not require any academic qualification.
Additionally, some questioned the emphasis on grades in the country that discourages students who do not qualify to join universities. The Ministry of Education was advised to streamline the education curriculum to ensure that all students fully achieve their potential.
However, a section lauded him for taking the bold decision to return to school as opposed to the trend amongst Kenyan politicians who are known to forge their certificates.
"Congratulations brother, you are an inspiration to many. Enroll for a certificate course as soon as possible," Bungoma County Communications Officer Haggai Kimonge hailed Kaseuseu.
In the 2023 exams, 1,216 students scored As, 7,254 (A-), 18,078 (B+), 36,728 (B), 78,343 (C+), and 694,400 scored below C+.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu assured all the students of a slot in universities and TVETs to allow them to pursue the careers of their choice. He added that this was due to the new reforms in the education sector including the grading system.
"The new reform measure will allow a larger number of students to pursue courses of their choice at the universities, Diploma and TVET training at Certificate and Artisan levels," he stated.
