As KPSEA and KJSEA begin: Kenya must remember the children behind the papers
Assessments matter — but no examination score should define a child’s worth or determine their future
By Yvonne Wambui
Thousands of Grade 6 and Grade 9 learners today sit the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment, marking months of preparation, sacrifice and quiet determination. For many, the pressure in those examination rooms extends far beyond the papers in front of them.
Kenya must ask itself an honest question: are we preparing children for life, or teaching them that their value depends entirely on their results?
In too many homes, examination performance is treated as a measure of intelligence and worth. Children who struggle face comparisons and criticism rather than encouragement. This culture breeds anxiety, not ability. Every child carries unique strengths — in creativity, communication, problem-solving and practical skill — that no single assessment can capture.
Behind today’s papers lies a deeper inequity that demands attention. Some learners walk into well-resourced classrooms having eaten breakfast, supported by technology and qualified teachers. Others arrive hungry, into overcrowded rooms with inadequate materials. Expecting identical outcomes from such unequal conditions is neither fair nor honest. The government must accelerate investment in public schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas, ensuring every child has a genuine opportunity to learn.
Parents carry significant responsibility today. Encouragement builds confidence; pressure and threats destroy it. A child who feels supported at home approaches challenges with far greater composure than one burdened by fear of disappointing their family.
To every learner sitting an assessment today: read carefully, manage your time and trust your preparation. A difficult question is not a defeat. Your future is considerably larger than one examination.
Kenya’s children are its next doctors, teachers, engineers and leaders. Their potential must never be reduced to a single score.
Let these assessments measure progress — never worth.
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