MAL/27/18
FIRST WORD
On Schooled Idiots
Contact Marketing Africa limited
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Marketing William Kalombo, Mutua Mutua,
Africa Riapius Magoma, Vincent Oduor,
Team Eric Ngunjiri, Melvin Awuor
Editorial Mutua Mutua
Contributors Richard Wanjohi
Denis Mbau
Herman Githinji
Diana Obath
Evans Majeni
Wasilwa Miriongi
Dr. Maureen Owiti
Irene Mbonge
Dr. Wale Akinyemi
Boniface Ngahu
Enock Wandera
Senorine Wasike
Andrew Riungu
Margaret Muriithi
Caroline Mwazi
Thrity Engineer-Mbuthia
Isaac Ngatia
Carolyne Gathuru
Thomas Mundia
Geoffrey Sirumba
George Mbithi
Frida Owinga
Joe Nyutu
Janet Sudi
Marion Wakahe
Kepha Nyanumba
Irene Nyamasi
Timothy Oriedo
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Every end of year, Kenya carries out a comprehensive and major
security operation that involves the government and law enforcement
agencies in what one would assume is an exercise to secure the country
before the festive season kicks off, to keep the dreaded Al Shabaab at
bay.
This operation that takes months to prepare and execute and is closely
monitored because the sabotage rate is high is simply so that our
children can take an exam. The sad part is that the security detail is not
for the safety of the children but for the integrity of the exam.
Exam cheating in Kenya is an epidemic but also big business. There is
a whole industry that has surreptitiously crept on us and by the time
we realized that there was a problem it was so huge that we cannot
even be sure we can tame it.
The business involves those who set exams with an intention of leaking
it to their accomplices who are the school administration headed by
the headmaster and his staff to the willing students who of course do
not want to fail and abetted by their parents who buy the exams.
At first glance it looks as though the country is full of amoral people
and that this should be a reprehensible thing to encourage but you
soon realize that it is actually a win–win situation for all in the
cheating system.
Those setting exams get to make a ton of money and remember the
Kenyan teacher is permanently on strike due to poor pay. So if you do
not adequately compensate him then he will find a way to bridge the
gap and selling exams is an easy option.
Remember that their method of choice to earn what they consider a
fair remuneration for their dedicated services was to create after school
tuitions that were to ensure that their students passed and the parents
were more than willing to pay.
Holiday tuition and together with after school tuition was outlawed
and the teachers had to find a way to replenish the gaping hole that
the ban created. We forgot that they were the same people that set
the exams and it only needed one unscrupulous individual to see the
business potential.
How do you measure the effectiveness of a Kenyan headmaster? It
is not based on how he runs a well-oiled school that is disciplined
and produces graduates that are a pride to the nation. You measure
his ability by whether his school was on the media being feted for
excellent exam results.
Marketing Africa Magazine is published by Marketing Africa
Limited. Views expressed in the articles and contributions are
not neccessarily those of the publisher. The Publisher reserves
all rights. The school that produces excellent results is mobbed by parents who
want to take their children to that particular school. The headmaster is
interviewed by all and sundry to explain the secret of his success and
his ability to consistently produce superior results.
Material may only be reproduced with prior arrangement and
due acknowledgement to Marketing Africa Magazine. We hear the usual formula of discipline and hard work and not
forgetting the strong Christian foundation that is instilled in the
students that makes them God fearing and ensures that prayer is
central to their approach to daily life.
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02 MAL27/18 ISSUE