The majority of KCPE candidates have failed to attain the minimum pass mark of 50 percent according to a new study by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
The examinations' body expressed concern over the low results registered across all subjects. According to the report, languages and mathematics signified the lowest drop in performances by students.
"In sign language Composition, Mathematics, KSL (Language) English Composition and Kiswahili Composition( Insha) only 25.94%, 34.54%, 36.18%, 39.90%, and 45.19% of the learners respectively attained the minimum proficiency level,” part of the report stated.
Furthermore, the report noted that the students performed poorly in essay based quizzes as opposed to multiple-choice questions.
In the case of mathematics, most students were not proficient in the mastery of key aspects such as ratios, percentages, averages and measurement.
The report was backed up by education officials who conducted the assessment. They noted a sharp drop in the languages which in previous reports have recorded a high performance.
In English, 60.87 percent of candidates failed the close test questions while 48.72% did not pass the reading comprehension based quizzes.
The candidates further registered a drop in Kiswahili as only 38.99% of students passed in Ufahamu while only 42.59% attained marks above the pass mark in Sarufi.
In sciences, candidates also registered a mean of 50.18% whereby students were not proficient in soils and properties of matter. Social studies recorded an average of 60.48%.
In CRE, learning gaps were established in the New Testament as 45.71 % of students failed to attain the pass mark.
According to gender performance, girls outperformed the boys in languages scoring an average of 48.965 percent against 46.08. However, boys outperformed in sciences and mathematics.
Recently, the examination body conducted a nationwide assessment for Grade 1 to 3, classes 5 to 7 in order to establish the learning gaps established after the nine-month hiatus by students in schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
KNEC Chair Mercy Karogo cited that this would help the teachers address the gaps for candidates to be ready for KCPE examinations in March 2021.
