FYI. BTW, I had not heard of "Sheng" before. (Fwd from H-Swahili)... DZO
[http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/images/daily_nation_banner.gif] Kiswahili the most-improved subject Published: 12/30/2005 By: SAMUEL SIRINGI Candidates performed better than last year in six out of eight papers tested in the Standard Eight examinations. Kiswahili Objective was the best improved subject, with its mean score rising from 47.6 per cent to 60.5 per cent. In Kiswahili Composition, performance rose from 39.4 per cent to 45.2 per cent, while that of English composition rose from 35.7 per cent to 36.3 per cent. Performance was also better in mathematics, where it rose from 46.6 per cent to 46.9 per cent; science (44.5 per cent to 50.8 per cent) and religious education, from 61.5 per cent to 64.7 per cent. But performance dropped from 56.5 per cent to 54.6 per cent and 45.7 per cent to 42.3 per cent in geography, history and civics, and English objective respectively. Although the girls' performance was better in most subjects than last year, it still did not match that of boys. The boys beat their colleagues in virtually all the subjects except in English and Kiswahili compositions. The two papers are combined with the English objective and Kiswahili objective papers to form English and Kiswahili, respectively. Releasing the results, Education minister George Saitoti said overall performance was better than last year's examinations. It is instructive though, that overall performance in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination has been improving each year since the Government slashed subjects from seven to five about four years ago. Last year's KCPE results also showed better average performance in all the subjects, except Kiswahili. Ironically, last year's performance in Kiswahili composition dropped to what it was in 2002 (39 per cent) from 41 per cent in 2003. It means performance in Kiswahili has been on a downward trend. Previously, some experts have pointed accusing fingers at the proliferation of Sheng - a mixture of languages spoken mainly in towns, but also in some rural areas - for the poor performance in Kiswahili and English compositions. In geography, history and civics, 2004 average performance (56 per cent) represented a drop by eight points from what it was in 2002. In 2003, the subject recorded an average performance of 55 per cent. In science, last year's mean performance of 59 per cent was an improvement from the 53 per cent it was in 2003. Last year, Prof Saitoti said improved performance indicated that the larger number of candidates had not compromised the quality of learning. "We are convinced that the quality of education is being maintained through improved teaching and learning strategies and availability of resources," he said. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Know an art & music fan? Make a donation in their honor this holiday season! http://us.click.yahoo.com/.6dcNC/.VHMAA/Zx0JAA/TpIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
