Private schools excel as girls improve

Pupils of Emmanuel complex School in Eldoret are joined by their teachers in celebrating KCPE results on Monday. The school was ranked firts in Uasin Gishu County. (Photo:Kevin Tunoi/Standard)

By Augustine Oduor and Allan Kisia

Three students, two boys and a girl tied, at position one nationally, each with 430 points in the 2012 Kenya National Certificate of Primary Education.

The boys, Mwaura Bonface Kiongo and Wachira Njomo both come from Kiambu County. The national champion Kinoti Joy Kithure, who also topped in the girls category, is from Fred’s Academy in Meru County.

Following them was Muteti Klevin Mwangangi of Machakos County and Kindiki Dan Muthomi of Meru County, both tying in position four, with 429 points.

Five out of 10 top Counties in the examination results are from the Rift Valley Province, led by Elgeyo Marakwet in position two with a mean grade of 273 followed by Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Baringo in that order, then West Pokot in the ninth position.

The latest results, the last in President Kibaki’s 10-year rule, which began with introduction of free primary education, saw the government edge closer to attaining gender parity.

However, once again private schools or academies, which are endowed with better facilities and learning environment but at an extra cost to parents, continued to outpace public schools.

Candidates from public primary schools were nowhere near the top, a trend that has confounded education stakeholders.

From the rankings released by Education minister Mutula Kilonzo, top performers from each of the Counties consisted of private schools.

Girl’s dream

Apart from the private institutions, church-sponsored schools also managed to top in the examinations. But at the bottom of the chart were public schools some as old as the examinations itself.

Although Kathure expected to perform well, it took her by surprise that she was the top candidate countrywide.

“It wasn’t in my wildest dreams that I will be number one in the country. This is just good news that that it yet to sink in,” said a jovial Kathure.

Leave alone the national platform; Kathure was also not sure that she would top her class of 40 pupils.

Master Mwaura from Utafiti Day and Boarding Primary and Nursery School, which is a public institution in Kikuyu Constituency, was all smiles when he visited the school yesterday.

“It has been so tough, but I worked hard and the teachers and parents also played their part,” said the boy who was accompanied by his mother.

At Uthiru Genesis Day and Boarding School, Njomo did the institution proud by also emerging one of the three pupils, who scored 430 marks. “I chose Alliance Boys High School and hope that I will be going there for my secondary school studies and thereafter pursue a course as a neurosurgeon in university,” he added.

The top mark by the three top students was, however, 12 points lower compared to 2011’s where the leading candidate scored 442 marks.

But Education minister Mutula Kilonzo termed the results a ‘significant improvement’ from the previous years. He said the number of candidates who scored 250 marks and above had increased from the previous year.

Masters Mwangangi and Muthomi of Meru County at position four were only one mark ahead of Shalom Nthenya Mulinge of Nairobi County who scored 428, posting the third best top mark.

Bottom on the list

Other candidates who made it into the top 10 list were Kanji Bhanderi Nikun, Maina Doughlas Gichohi and Gitamo Audrey Kemunto, who scored 427 marks. The three come from Meru, Laikipia and Nairobi Counties respectively.

There was also a tie in the tenth position with Muriga Veronica Wairimu and Shihemi Kelvin Witila, both from Nairobi County, scoring 426 marks to close the top 10 category.

Of the 11 top students who constituted the top 10 best performers, there were four girls and seven boys.

Kilonzo said overall, boys had 51.2 per cent against 48.9 per cent for girls in 2012.

“This is the closest we have been towards achieving gender parity in KCPE Examination in 10 years,” the minister said.

On County performance, Kirinyanga, which did not produce a single candidate in the top 10 category, emerged the best with a mean score of 273.

Mandera was ranked bottom, with a mean score of 182, followed closely by Garissa, Wajir, Tana River and Kwale Counties in that order.

Kilonzo, however, termed this year’s performance as a ‘major improvement’ in an examination where cases of irregularities were tremendously reduced.

The minister said of the 811,930 candidates who sat for the 2012 KCPE examination, only 718 in 41 centres were involved in cheating.

He said this is a significant drop, representing some 0.09 per cent of the total candidature, compared to 7,967 candidates involved in 2011.

The minister attributed the improvement to the enactment of the Kenya National Examination Council Bill that spelt stringent penalties for cheats. Already, he said, some 88 persons, including candidates and teachers, were arrested after contravening the Act and have been charged in Court.

KNEC secretary Paul Wasanga said some 2,155 candidates scored 400 marks and above.

Another 188, 475 candidates scored 300 marks and above. A total of 186, 962 scored below 200 marks.

Wasanga, however, defended KCPE examinations, saying they are only meant to assist in secondary schools placement. “KCPE result only tells the country how the candidates have performed to assist in placement in the available secondary schools with the top candidates being placed in National Schools,” he said.

But even as senior education officials gathered to release the examinations, candidates who passed may have to wait longer to know their secondary schools. Contrary to parents’ and private schools’ expectations, Kilonzo pushed Form One selection to Monday, next week.

This means that parents will still be home with their children the whole of this week and the next.

It also means private schools may conduct the selection a week after next, because they do the selection after the government exercise.

The implication here is that Form One first term learning period will be shortened given that another one week recess is scheduled ahead to give way for elections on March 4.

“If there shall be delays in Form One admissions, we ask you to reduce the fees by half because some considerable learning will not have taken place,’’ argued Kenya National Association of Parents national chairman, Musau Ndunda.

Nairobi Primary School emerged the best nationally as one that has enhanced a friendlier environment for learners.