Academic clinics linked to success

Schools that posted good results in this year’s KCSE examination have attributed their success to an academic mentorship programme for candidates.

This was evident from several schools in Machakos and Makueni counties where a significant improvement in performance was recorded as huge numbers of candidates qualified for university entry.

They include St Francis Misyani Girls, Mukaa Boys, Machakos School, Matungulu Girls and little known Katwanyaa Secondary School.

In St Francis Misyani Girls the school pulled a surprise after posting a performance index of 8.067 the highest ever in the school’s history.

Out of the 149 candidates who sat the examination, 121 qualified to join a university with 10 A- grades, 24 with B+ and the rest scored B plain, B- (minus) and C+.

Participated

In May this year, a team of local professionals including lawyers, doctors, university professors, engineers, IT specialists and pilots convened the first ever students' mentorship clinic at the school where dozens of schools from the region participated.

The aim was to mentor students and Form Four candidates in academics, career guidance as well and offer examination tackling tips.

Kangundo High School, Tala High, Matungulu Girls and Katwanyaa Secondary schools also joined the pack of this year’s well-performing schools in the region. In Matungulu Girls, Principal Lucy Kariuki said 123 candidates will join universities for regular degree programs. Three of the candidates scored A- grade with dozens others clinching B+ and B plain grades. The school’s performance index went up to 7.3 from 6.3 posted in last year’s KCSE.

Machakos School which is one of the region’s top national schools produced an A plain, 48 A- and a couple of Bs posting a performance index of 8.63. The school will send some 247 students to university next year.

In Makueni County, Mukaa Boys High School principal, Francis Mutua, whose school produced seven candidates with A- mean grade said the school had been hosting regular academic mentorship programs by professionals and motivational speakers.

He said out of 308 candidates who wrote KCSE examination, 201 qualified to join university.

In Matungulu sub-county, Katwanyaa Secondary, a sub-county school produced an A- candidate making it the third-best public school in the sub-county after Matungulu Girls and Tala High.