National Exams

800,000 Eighth Graders across Kenya will be sitting for their National Exams December 4-6. It is a very pivotal moment in their lives as their entire primary school education comes down to this one exam taken over three days. It is the only thing from Primary School that High Schools, Colleges, and even future employers will look at to assess their performance.

On Tuesday, December 4th the students will begin with a 2 hour Math exam, 1 hour 50 minute English Grammar exam and write a 45 minute Composition.

On Wednesday, December 5th the students will take a 1 hour 50 minute Science exam, 1 hour 50 minute Kiswahili Grammar exam and a 45 minute Kiswahili Composition.

On Thursday, December 6th the students will finish with a 2 hour 15 minute Social Studies and Religious Education exam. Except for the two compositions, the rest of the exams are all multiple choice in 8th grade.

Twenty-seven students at CGA and Thirteen Suba Lakers from various primary schools throughout Mbita District will be taking the exam this week. In a district where less than half of the girls finish primary school, it is a big achievement for a young girl to complete her primary school education, pass her exams and move on to secondary school. There are many obstacles along the way that threaten to derail their opportunity for an education. We are proud of each of our students for persevering and enduring to reach this level. Most of them come from disadvantaged homes that presented many challenges along the way. 

In the CGA 8th grade class, 22 of the 27 students are orphans.  Four of the 14 8th Graders from the Suba Lakers are total orphans without any parents, seven are partial orphans who have lost one parent and two of them still have both parents. These young girls have overcome the odds and are striving to build a better future for themselves and their families.

CGA has always had great success on the National Exams and in the last two years all of the 17 girls from the Suba Lakers who have sat their National Exams have managed to move on to high school and are continuing their education. That is a big accomplishment and we hope that it will continue with this year’s group.

Once finishing their National Exams, they will have to wait until the end of January to receive their results and then we hope each of them will begin high school in February or March.

Please pray for them during this critical time. Here is a sample of how you can be praying for them...

Our God and Father, we come before you in the name of your Son which is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Even though we are halfway across the world, we are thankful that we can still pray for these children in Kenya. We commit these students into your able hands. We ask for your protection and covering over them in the next few days as they prepare for their National Exams. Keep them healthy and strong physically and mentally. Give them good sleep at nighttime. May your peace that surpasses all understanding cover their hearts and their minds. May your Holy Spirit convict them of any sin in their life so that they may confess it before man and before you so that their minds may be free from the bondage that comes from sin. May their trust and hope be placed in you. Remind them of all the things they have learnt since they began their education. Remind them of what their teachers have taught them, what they have read in their textbooks and what they have studied from their notes. Remind them of questions they have come across in other exams they have taken previously. Help them not to be stressed or worried, but instead that they would be confident and sure. Help them to enjoy taking their exams. Make it fun and exciting for them. Give them an easy and comfortable time with their supervisor, invigilators, security guards and the other school staff that is around during exams.

And Lord we commit their futures in your hands. Their results, where they will go to secondary school and their future careers are all part of your plan for their lives. And from Jeremiah 29:11 we know that your plans for them are good; plans to prosper them and give them hope and a future. As King, you reign sovereignly and supremely over everything including National Exams and each of these students and their lives. Thank you for your great love for each of us. You are an amazing God! In Jesus name we pray Amen!