By Ugunja Magazine Every year, the release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results brings with it a flood of emotions across the country. For some, it is celebration tears of joy, congratulatory messages, and doors opening to universities and scholarships. To those who achieved the highest grades, congratulations. You earned it, and we wish you all the best as you step into the next chapter of your lives. But there is another story that is rarely told loudly enough. What about the hundreds of thousands of candidates over 700,000 who did not manage to attain a C+ and above? What happens when you check your results and feel like your world has collapsed? Are these students failures? Is life over at 18 or 19? The honest answer is this: no, they are not failures they are simply at a crossroads. When Results Feel Like a Verdict In Kenya, KCSE results have for a long time been treated like a final judgment of one’s intelligence, discipline, and future success. A single grade is often allowed to define an entire human being. Families get disappointed, comparisons begin, and self-doubt creeps in. But an exam result is not a measure of your worth. It only measures performance in a very specific system, at a very specific time, under very specific conditions. Many students who don’t make the university cut-off are hardworking, creative, resilient, and intelligent in ways the classroom never fully captured. A Huge Number, Not a Small Mistake When over 700,000 young people miss out on direct university entry, it should tell us something important: this is not an individual failure it is a systemic reality. Society cannot afford to label such a large generation as “lost.” Instead, we must ask a better question: What next? The World Has Changed And That’s Good News The good news is that the world today is very different from the one our parents grew up in. Success is no longer limited to: University A white-collar job A single career path We are living in the age of the gig economy, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and alternative learning paths. Today, people are earning a living through: Freelancing (writing, design, video editing, coding) Online content creation Digital marketing Virtual assistance Photography and videography Trades and technical skills Online businesses and e-commerce Many of these fields do not ask for a KCSE grade they ask for skill, consistency, and discipline. Starting Small Is Not Starting Late One of the biggest lies young people are told is that if you don’t go straight to university, you are behind in life. The truth is: progress is not a race. A student who scored below C+ can: Start with a certificate course Progress to a diploma Advance to a degree Eventually pursue a master’s degree This journey may take longer, but it is valid, respected, and achievable. What matters is not how fast you move but that you keep moving. Strategies for Those Who Feel Left Behind If you are one of the students struggling to make sense of your results, here are practical steps to consider: 1. Accept, Then Reset Feel the disappointment, but don’t live in it. Acceptance is not giving up it is the first step to clarity. 2. Identify Your Strengths Are you good with your hands? With people? With technology? With creativity? Build around what you can do, not just what you scored. 3. Explore TVETs and Technical Courses Kenya’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions offer practical skills that are highly marketable and in demand. 4. Learn Digital Skills Many online platforms offer affordable or free courses. Internet access can become a classroom if used wisely. 5. Start Earning Early Small income builds confidence. Even modest earnings teach responsibility, independence, and self-belief. 6. Stay Teachable Education does not end with KCSE. The world rewards those who keep learning, adapting, and improving. Redefining Success We must redefine what success looks like in Kenya. Success is: A welder running a profitable workshop A freelancer earning online in dollars A small business owner employing others A student who took a longer route but never gave up Some of the most impactful people in society were once told they were not good enough until life proved otherwise. A Message to Parents and Society To parents and guardians: your child is more than a grade. Support, encouragement, and belief can do more than punishment or shame ever will. To society: we must stop mocking, labeling, and dismissing young people based on exam results. Talent is diverse. Intelligence is multi-dimensional. The Journey Is Still Yours If you didn’t get the results you hoped for, hear this clearly: Your life is not over. Your story is not finished. This is not the end it is a bend in the road. Success may take a different route, but it is still possible. And one day, when you look back, you may realize that this moment the one that felt like failure was actually the beginning of becoming who you were meant to be. Ugunja Magazine Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
