Schools under Standard’s NIE programme record good grades

King’s Academy pupils reading The Standard newspaper during the launch of the Newspaper in Education (NiE) programme at the school in Nakuru town on September 9, 2021. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Various Uasin Gishu schools that benefited from the Standard Group’s Newspaper in Education (NIE) programme are happy they did.

The schools recorded remarkable improvements in the general mean scores and in English language, and have praised the NIE programme that enabled students to receive Standard newspapers and cultivate passion for education and reading.

Achievers School, Lessos Educational Centre, Elfema Academy and Kimalel Primary School in Uasin Gishu are some of the schools the Standard team worked with. Achievers School Director Willy Mbote said they recorded significant improvement in various subjects. He said the candidates often revised for exams using the NIE resources.

“We have witnessed great improvement in various subjects, especially in the English language, which has made the school’s mean score rise from the 2020 KCSE. The Standard newspapers have played an essential role in moulding our students and making them ready for their exams, and the fruits of the constant revision are visible,” said Mr Mbote. The school had a 383.3 meanscore, an improvement from the 2020’s 374.

Their English mean score also improved from 73 to 75 points.

The top student scored 418 marks. More than 22 of the 49 students also scored above 390 marks. “We hope the candidates who have excelled will get opportunity to join secondary schools of their choice and be able to continue with education until they achieve their career dreams,” said Mr Mbote.

Mr Elijah Omollo, a director at the Elfema Academy, said that the school had shown improvement despite being a day school.

Mr Omollo said the NIE programme was resourceful for candidates. He urged Standard Group to continue empowering students through the programme. “We encouraged our candidates to take advantage of the NIE newspaper and use the same for their revision needs, and indeed with the help of the teachers, the students have done so well. The NIE programme has been helpful, and we hope to continue impacting the same to our future candidates,” said Mr Omollo.

Mr Omollo said the school’s mean had gone up to 342 from 338, while the English mean improved from 62 to 66. The leading student, Otieno Atieno, scored 402 marks, while two others scored 401.

Lessos Educational Centre also posted good performance, with its leading student scoring 421 marks, while the English language managed a mean score of 72.7 points.

The school director said the students had done well, especially in composition, which helped them get good marks.