Final exams for this year’s second term are underway. Most of the girls approach their term finals, which cover everything they’ve learned since the beginning of their high school studies, with relaxed optimism. But if you mention the exam that the Form 3 girls will be writing next autumn, the girls respond with the unusual combination of nervousness, exasperation and confidence.

At the end of high school, Kenyan students are required to sit for a final exam that covers all four years of secondary school – the KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) exam. It is an enormous cumulative test that is delivered over an exhausting stretch of almost one month. The grade a student gets on this test determines if she can attend university, and what kind of university she can attend.

To be considered for university with government subsidies, a student needs to achieve a B average. Students with lower scores may be admitted to universities, but will be on the hook for the entire tuition cost. The reality is, however, that if a student achieves a lower score and can afford the entire tuition, a student with a higher score who cannot afford school fees is likely to be bumped.

Carol, a Form 3 Daraja student

Despite its competitiveness, many students are unprepared for the exam when they finish high school. According to the Standard, a Kenyan newspaper, only 27 per cent of students achieved high enough scores last year to be considered for university admission. This could be a reflection of the quality of education the students receive, the result of the stresses of home life and poverty – many students are not able to attend classes, write mocks, or even sit for the exam for lack of fees, or a combination of factors.

The Form 3 girls will be the first Daraja group to take the KCSE; students and faculty are preparing to ensure the success of Daraja’s first graduating class. Carol, one of the Form 3 students, said the exam is so crucial she feels like she should start studying for it now. “If I do well on the KCSE then I stand a better chance of getting in to university. Then I can get a good job and help my community.”