KCPE Results a Wake Up Call for North Eastern Province

The 2005 KCPE results have just been released and as expected North Eastern Province trailed the rest of the country. This is a rather sad situation that has got to be addressed urgently. There seems to be a rather dim view to the value of education in the province. If that isn't the case then the area's residents have done nothing to correct that impression. Year in, year out, they watch as the province slumps to the bottom position of the country's academic charts.

Although area leaders and residents have constantly complained about this sad situation they have failed to do anything meaningful to address the matter. Like in the previous years, the area has lagged behind in many crucial sectors including education, economy and infrastructure.

It is therefore very shocking to read that the province's best pupil could not make it in the list of top 100 pupils of six of Kenya's provinces. However, his performance (421 marks out of a possible 500) remains a remarkable one considering the hardships he must have endured and the lack of facilities that bedevils NEP. Nevertheless, the province has to pull up its socks if it is to partake in Kenya's academic successes.

All our eyes are on NEP. This is the time to wake up. Let us hope that as we head into the new year, the politicians, the local residents and the pupils themselves will step up their efforts and do something about the run of poor results that has plagued the province since independence. Now is the time for action. The school infrastructure should be improved and more education facilities provided by the government. However, it is the teachers and pupils who have the ultimate responsibility of delivering good results.