Following the release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, Judith Luvaha, the Principal of SDA Namagara Secondary School, has highlighted a concerning performance gap between genders.

SDA Namagara emerged as a top performer in Malava Sub-county, posting an impressive mean score of 7.4, a positive deviation of 0.66 from the previous year. Out of the graduating cohort, 176 students secured direct university entry while the remaining are set to be placed in good tertiary colleges.

The school grades

B+: 9, B-: 40, C+: 69, C: 42, C-: 12, D+: 1

Ms. Luvaha noted that while the school celebrated these results, the data revealed a widening gap between genders.

“Out of my nine top-performing students, only three are boys the rest are girls,” she observed, noting that male students appear to be falling behind their female counterparts.

Ms. Luvaha attributed this disparity to what she perceives as the societal neglect of the boy child. She argued that while girls often receive significant support, boys are frequently left to fend for themselves, leading to distractions that pull them away from their studies.

Many boys are engaged in heavy manual work, such as loading and cutting sugarcane or working at construction sites (mjengo), male students often spend time ploughing cane fields in the village instead of attending classes, they are lured into motorbike transport, causing chronic absenteeism as boys seek quick daily income.

Ms. Luvaha emphasized that the school’s success was a result of teamwork, prayer and a committed student’s yearning for success. However, she suggested that increased community mentorship is vital for boys to reach their full potential. Despite current hurdles, she expressed optimism that targeted interventions could effectively bridge the performance gap.

The situation in Malava reflects a shifting national landscape. This year, 14 counties including Vihiga, Kakamega Nairobi registered a higher number of female candidates than males.

While the great performance of SDA Namagara serves as a testament to the power of teamwork, prayer and student dedication, the emerging gender gap remains a call to action for the Malava community. To sustain these academic gains, stakeholders must address the socio-economic pressures pulling boys away from the classroom. By balancing support for both genders and providing targeted mentorship, the community can ensure that every student regardless of gender has a fair shot at achieving their professional dreams.