KCSE grades do not define success

This year's International Day of Education, Friday, January 24th, follows the release of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.

Congratulations to those celebrating top marks. But this piece is for the others: those who fell short of societal expectations and now feel the doors to their dreams have been slammed shut.

Let me assure you, they haven’t. 

Nearly two decades ago I was a teenager. I dreamt of becoming a doctor. That dream morphed into wanting to be a pharmacist, but I didn’t get good grades. I was admitted to pursue environmental science, changed courses to biotechnology, and found my true calling in strategic communications.

This career path has taken me to over 40 countries in Africa and beyond, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to leading development organisations  and create a lasting impact through storytelling. It has been an incredible journey filled with growth, opportunity, and purpose. 

Why am I sharing all of this? My career journey wasn’t linear, and yours doesn’t have to be either.

The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2025 proves that your KCSE results do not define your destiny. 

The Report highlights digital access and AI as transformative forces, creating demand for technology, green transition, and adaptability skills. While jobs in sectors like healthcare, education, and green energy are set to grow, others, such as clerical roles, will decline.

Employers foresee significant reskilling needs, with 59% of the workforce requiring training by 2030. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly prioritised, while skill gaps remain the biggest barrier to transformation, driving investments in workforce development. Analytical thinking, creativity, resilience, and adaptability will be the most sought-after abilities. 

Employers increasingly prioritise lifelong learners with adaptability, resilience, and technological literacy over traditional qualifications. 

Beyond Grades

Like many others across the continent, Kenya's education system has long been obsessed with exam scores. But what does the workforce of the future truly demand?

According to the World Economic Forum, the fastest-growing sectors—artificial intelligence, big data, and digital commerce—need people who can solve problems, communicate effectively, and think creatively. These skills are not taught in textbooks or crammed; they are cultivated through curiosity, drive, and a willingness to grow. 

Take, for instance, the global billionaires who make it to Forbes’ lists. Many of them did not follow a conventional academic path. Instead, they identified their passions, honed their unique abilities, and pursued them relentlessly. They succeeded not because they aced exams but because they stayed teachable and aligned themselves with opportunities that matched their strengths. 

To the parents reading this, I urge you to make it easy for your children. Success isn’t confined to becoming a doctor, engineer, or lawyer. It can be found in becoming a fashion designer, a photographer, a farmer, a driver or even a mama mboga (vegetable vendor) with an entrepreneurial spirit. 

The ultimate goal should be fulfillment, purpose, and the ability to build a meaningful and sustainable livelihood—not necessarily defined by a degree or title.

Whether through work or entrepreneurship, the focus should be on creating opportunities that enable individuals to thrive, contribute to society, and achieve their full potential. They remind us that education should nurture well-rounded individuals who can navigate a rapidly changing world. 

Your results are just the beginning. 

For the students, I encourage you to take control of your story. Use resources like online learning platforms to upskill and stay relevant. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, digital marketing, and graphic design. These are fields that often value skills over formal degrees. 

Kenya’s education stakeholders must also step up. As a parent, I have been inspired by the global landscape, which has shifted away from relying on certificates, exams, and cramming as the primary measure of a young learner’s future career success.

We can draw valuable lessons from Japan and Finland to better prepare our youth for an evolving job market. Japan’s emphasis on discipline and lifelong learning fosters adaptability, while Finland’s holistic education system prioritises critical thinking and creativity. 

Across the continent, there is growing recognition that practical, skills-based education is essential for fostering innovation, driving industrial growth, and equipping the workforce to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy. 

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) have advocated for this shift for years. By integrating these approaches, Kenya can create a system that nurtures academic achievement and the adaptability, innovation, and resilience required in today’s dynamic and global workforce. 

To the KCSE class of this year: your results may feel like the end of the road, but they’re just the beginning. If you’re unsure about your path, that’s okay. Experiment. Try new things. Fail and learn from those failures. Life is a windy journey, not a straight line. What matters is the drive to keep moving forward. 

In the words of Malcolm X, “There is no better teacher than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its seed, its lesson on how to improve your performance the next time”. So stay teachable, stay adaptable, and chart your path. 

- The writer is a strategic communications consultant