Jacob Owiti | NATION Maranda Boys students celebrate the school’s performance in last year’s KCSE exam on February 28, 2011. The school had 143 students who scored A in Kiswahili. It also produced five of the 10 top provincial candidates, beating Maseno School.
By PAUL OGEMBA newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com Posted Tuesday, March 1 2011 at 22:00
In Summary
- Myth that province produces the worst Kiswahili performers busted as Maranda High tops in the subject
The stereotype that Luo Nyanza produces the worst Kiswahili speakers has been crashed by Maranda High School.
Of the 242 students who sat for KCSE exam last year, 143 scored A plain in the language, posting a mean grade of 11.3 and taking position one nationally.
Some 53 others scored A-, 30 scored B+, five had B plain, four had B-, while two got C+ and C plain respectively. The worst performance was by a student from Southern Sudan whose first interaction with the language was at the school.
“The results have clearly dispelled the notion that Kiswahili is for Coast schools. As long as you have the interest and determination, nothing is impossible,” said Mr Moses Sukura, the head of languages.
Strategic plan
Mr Kennedy Opindi, a senior Kiswahili teacher, said their success was due to a strategic plan they came up with as a team of Kiswahili teachers.
“In 2008, we came up with a vision to make Kiswahili the best subject in the school. We set a target of 10.0 but unfortunately, managed a mean of 9.08 in 2009. We again resolved to achieve our goal in 2010,” said Opindi.
Mr Sukura explained that their secret was the teachers’ ability to set and meet targets, and the students’ motivation to go an extra mile.
“We worked as a team. We completed the syllabus in time and gave the students ample time to revise,” he said.
Their preparation involved introducing the students to rigorous Kiswahili teaching right from Form One instead of waiting until they reached Form Three.
They started teaching Kiswahili set books in Form One, and by the time they were in Form Three, they had embarked on revision.
Top student Joshua Obinchu Getega, who was position three nationally, said their good performance in Kiswahili was also a result of cooperation.
“We formed study groups. Weak students were put with top students and we helped one another. Top students could take time to guide weaker ones even in the dormitories,” said Getega.
Mr Leonard Baraza, the head of Kiswahili department, said the time when people viewed Nyanza as a region which lagged behind in Kiswahili had passed.
“People have been saying Nyanza cannot perform well in Kiswahili. We worked hard to dispel the myth and set our targets to convince people it is possible,” he said.
According to Mr Baraza, they encouraged the students to change their attitude towards the language from the time they joined Form One and see it as a subject with national importance and not just for exam purposes only.
“With time, they started to appreciate it and changed their perception,” he said.
School principal Boaz Omondi attributed the good performance in Kiswahili to hard work, determination, team work.
“We have surpassed our vision which was to be among the top 10 schools nationally. We thank God that the school has managed to lead in Kiswahili,” said Mr Omondi.
And Mr Baraza added that the determination of the students also motivated the teachers to go the extra mile, taking time even on weekends to guide students.
“Our lowest ranked student in Kiswahili was from Southern Sudan and spoke Kiswahili for the first time when he joined us. But we collectively helped him understand the language.”
The senior teachers coached the students up to the time they completed the syllabus. From then on, it was team work in which any of the eight Kiswahili teachers could handle the candidates.
“We divided the class into six groups depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Each teacher had a specific area; some concentrated on Insha, while others dwelt on Fasihi and Kiswahili Lugha,” said Baraza.
The Kiswahili department has formed a club for students and set aside Wednesday as Kiswahili Day in which all conversations is done in Kiswahili.
To prepare candidates, they invited guest speakers, including Kiswahili lecturers from universities to talk to students and give tips on how to perform well.
They also had symposiums with other schools as well as debates using the language.
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