Why Ability Grouping Doesn't Work: A Hard Lesson Learned

By Mr. Vidambu Sam

On Monday, January 22nd, 2024, I had the honor of being the guest speaker at the launch of a Form Four class in a secondary school in Kenya. I guided them through target setting, choosing a class name, motto, song, and academic programs. The school's ambitious target was to improve its mean score from 6.2 to 7.5.

A week later, on Wednesday, I followed up with the Director of Studies (DOS) to check on the implementation of our academic plan. To my surprise, he mentioned that the school was considering introducing ability grouping—a system that classifies students into different academic strata based on their past performance.

Under this system, the top 80 students were placed in Form 4 Harvard and Form 4 Cambridge, the next 80 in Form 4 Cape Town and Form 4 Makerere, and the last group in Form 4 Moi and Form 4 UoN. Another class, Form 4 Shamberere, was designated for students considered indisciplined.

I strongly advised against it. I even reached out to the senior principal, explaining that ability grouping, despite its good intentions, would likely backfire. Unfortunately, my advice was ignored.

When the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Waziri Julius Ogamba Migosi, announced the 2024 KCSE results on January 9th, 2025, the school's mean score had dropped from 6.2 to 4.4.

Here are 10 reasons why ability grouping doesn’t work:

1. The Pygmalion Effect

This psychological principle states that high expectations lead to better performance, while low expectations lead to poor performance. When teachers believe in students, they work harder to meet those expectations. Conversely, students in lower ability groups often feel unworthy, leading to decreased motivation and performance.

2. Reduced Motivation

A Spanish proverb says: "Sin motivación, no hay sacrificio. Sin sacrificio no hay disciplina y sin disciplina no hay éxito." (Without motivation, there is no sacrifice. Without sacrifice, there is no discipline. Without discipline, there is no success.)

Students in the lower strata often lose motivation because they see themselves as already defeated.

3. Creation of an Academic Hierarchy

Ability grouping instills a rigid academic caste system:

• Top performers see themselves as global elites.

• Middle-tier students feel regional at best.

• Lower-tier students feel like local outcasts.

The Shamberere class, labeled for indisciplined students, further isolates and discourages students, reinforcing a sense of rejection.

4. Lowered Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is the foundation of intrinsic motivation. When students lose confidence in their abilities, no amount of teaching, preaching, or encouragement can restore it.

5. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Once labeled as "weak," students begin to see themselves that way. This reinforces underperformance, making it nearly impossible for them to break out of their academic group.

6. Reduced Diversity in Peer Interactions

Ability grouping limits interaction with diverse academic peers. This isolates students, reducing their exposure to different learning styles and perspectives. The peer effect plays a crucial role in academic improvement, but with ability grouping, students stagnate in their designated levels.

7. Equity Concerns

Teachers often prioritize high-performing students, believing they have a better chance of excelling. This results in unequal distribution of attention and resources, leaving lower-tier students to struggle without adequate support.

8. Stagnation

Students in lower ability groups often find it difficult to move up, even when they improve academically. Once categorized, the system tends to maintain rigid groupings, limiting upward mobility.

9. Marginalization

Students in the lower tiers feel isolated and rejected. They see themselves as "the leftovers," while the high performers are placed in prestigious groups. This fosters resentment, disengagement, and rebellion.

10. A Weakened Sense of Belonging

Ability grouping creates psychological disconnection from the larger student body. Students feel like they don’t belong, leading to increased dropout rates and declining overall school morale.

Is Ability Grouping Ever Beneficial?

While ability grouping has a few advantages, its disadvantages far outweigh them. The success of ability grouping depends entirely on how it is implemented and whether students can still feel valued and supported.

As educators, our goal should be to create inclusive learning environments that empower all students, regardless of their starting point.

Thanks to the new curriculum that disagrees with such grouping although still many schools are still grouping!

About the Author

Mr. Sam Vidambu is a professional academic mentor with programs in over 5,000 high schools across Kenya. His mentorship focuses on:

• Content mastery and retention techniques

• Proven study habits and revision strategies

• Student motivation and target setting

• Academic mentorship for teachers and principals

He is the President of the Global Student Mentorship Center, a trainer at KESSHA conferences, and an author and tutor.

To invite Mr. Vidambu for a Candidates’ Academic Mentorship Program at your school or enroll in personalized mentorship sessions, contact him at: 📞 +255743 480 435 (Call/Text/WhatsApp)

To be added to his exclusive WhatsApp mentorship group for educators, send a message to +255743 480 435.