Why you no pass exam no be your fault, na system get fault

When Collins Odhiambo collect him secondary school result, the D wey dey look am make e feel like say na the end of him dream to become teacher.

More than ten years later, as e dey work as social worker for South Sudan, e dey see that moment no as closed door, but as the beginning of one journey wey e no expect.

"I no get the grades wey I want for my final exam," Collins tell TRT Afrika. "I bin want to be teacher for long time, but anytime I apply for position, I go always get disappointing answer."

The experience show one reality wey hundreds of thousands of students for the whole world dey face every year. Of the 965,000 students wey write the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, only 244,563 score C+ and above, wey be the minimum standard for most degree programmes.

Even among those wey pass, tens of thousands no apply for university placement through the Kenya Central College Placement System (KUCCPS). Among those wey file application, many struggle to make the cut because of the high number of candidates.

"For more than two years after finishing high school, I no sabi wetin to do. I no fit go college to continue my studies, so I start to volunteer with non-governmental organisations. Na then I fall in love with community service and decide to pursue am as possible career," Collins talk.

Opportunities wey dey show

Kenya dey make effort to encourage more students to pursue higher studies despite poor secondary school grades.

The KUCCPS institutional framework wey dey place students in universities don announce say by 2026, the minimum score for students wey go be offered place for the KMTC College of Health Sciences fit be lowered to D. The idea na to give more students opportunities to enter streams wey before dem no fit enter.

Under the amended programme, students go start with certificates then move on to diplomas wey different medical training institutions for the country dey offer. For the certificate level, the available courses include community health assistant, health insurance administration, health records and information technology, emergency medical technician, medical engineering, nutritional science, orthopaedics and public health.

Diploma courses na more advanced ones, like clinical medicine and surgery, community health, oral health and dental technology and others.

KUCCPS don so far place about 310,000 students for different universities and colleges, wey include degree, diploma and certificate programmes.

How e find im path

Collins advise young people wey no meet university entrance requirements make dem no give up, make dem focus on alternative opportunities wey go build their skills and help dem reach their goals.

"I try many things, including join theatre groups, volunteer work for the community, and help NGOs wey benefit from my knowledge of our neighbourhoods and the local youth. I gain experience for the process and I develop love for wetin go become my new career path," e tell TRT Afrika.

Almost twelve years after graduating from high school, Collins enroll for university. Right now him dey study for him first degree in social sciences and development studies, alongside the work wey him dey do with an NGO.

"Not getting the grades you hoped to get no mean say you don fail for life. E only mean say you need to take different road. These roads fit be just as rewarding, if not more, depending on your interests and goals," Collins tell TRT Afrika.

In 2025, near one million students write the Kenyan Form Four exams, the final secondary‑school assessments wey determine university admission. Of those, 1,932 students score an A. Data from the ministry of education show say only 270,000 students score C+ or higher to gain admission to university.

Collins dey set to graduate in August this year. Even though him no fit fulfil him childhood ambition to become teacher, he hope say him journey go guide many others wey miss the grades dem aspire to.