Break from Study, Time to Wait

Standard 8 and Form 4 students now have a break from study, but not a break from worry. Cecilia, a member of Baptist Chapel in Nairobi says, the Kenya Certificate of Primary Examinations for kids completing Standard 8 “were not hard, but they were fair.” She hopes that when the results are released in late December that she will be chosen to attend her first choice, Statehouse Girls’ High School – a top Kenyan national high school. Before taking the exams, Cecelia marked several national schools as her choice schools. After the scores are released the students with the higher scores will be offered places at the national high schools. Those who are not offered one of these limited national positions will then begin applying to private high schools where parents pay higher fees. At present there are only enough places in public/private high schools for 60% of the students who sat for the KCPE exams, so a few of the remaining 40% will move on to training schools, while most will have to accept that their formal schooling is over.

Norman, who sat for the Form 4/Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations, was busy on Sunday helping in the younger children’s Sunday school class at Baptist Chapel. A man of few words, Norman said, “My exams went fine,” but he will not know for sure until the KCSE scores are released in early February. If his scores are high, he may be accepted into one of the few national universities. If this happens, he will not choose the degree for which he will study – it will be chosen for him. Norman is simply praying that he did well enough to be offered a position in a national university. If not, like others, he will begin looking into studying at one of the private universities, colleges, training schools or full-time work.

Most universities/colleges in Kenya will not accept new students until Sept of 2009 or January 2010. Pray for local churches who offer special programmes during the waiting time for those who have just finished high school. Pray that these discipleship and mentoring programmes will offer the foundation they need to become strong and growing Christians. A few churches also offer special programmes during January for the kids awaiting admittance into high school as most Form 1 classes will not begin until next February. Pray also for the opportunities that churches have to spiritually train and strengthen these young teens.

Cecelia and Norman are thankful that the exams are over and were excited to learn that people they didn’t even know had been praying for them. They both were also excited that you would continue praying for them as they await their futures!
Bert Yates