Indications KCSE results out today

Education CS Prof George Magoha.

Word is in the air that the 2019 KCSE could be released and as usual, Kenyans are waiting with baited breath.

Before the indefatigable Education CS Prof George Magoha let you know how these year’s form fours performed, it is in order to bring you up to speed.

A total of 699,745 candidates sat  for the exams began on November 4 and ended on 27. The marking was concluded by December 13.

Education CS George Magoha had earlier said that results would be released before Christmas Day.

“These particular results will be released long before Christmas. Why do we have to keep them when they are ready? We prepare that before they go for Christmas, the children will know the schools they will be going to so that the parents can start preparing early,” Prof Magoha said.

Marking was disrupted in two centres over low pay and poor working conditions.

Markers at Machakos Girls High School and Starehe Girls Centre threatened to quit saying the money they were getting for each script was not enough.

At Machakos Girls, the markers had even packed their bags and returned their bedding.

But Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) acting Chief Executive Mercy Karogo said the stalemate over pay had been resolved and marking resumed.

Data seen by The Standard shows that the examiners are paid between Sh46 and Sh75 for each script they mark.

The 2018 KSCE at a glance

Juliet Otieno from Pangani Girls, Nairobi was last year’s top KCSE candidate, scoring an A of 87.664 points.

The other top four students in the country were James Kanuna (Maseno School), Edwin Otieno Ouko (Light Academy), Ian Duncan Mwangi (Moi High School Kabarak) and Humphrey Rasugu (Maseno School).

660,204 candidates sat the examination in 2018. 338,628 were male and 321,576 female, representing 51.29% and 48.71% of the total candidature respectively.

A total of 315 candidates scored an A plain in last year’s KCSE, while 90,377 candidates scored C+ and above to meet the minimum University entry qualification.

18 counties had more females than male compared to 17 counties in 2017, including Taita taveta, Kwale, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Meru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Nandi, Laikipia, Kakamega, Vihiga and Kisumu.

Female candidates performed better than their male counterparts in English, Kiswahili, CRE, Homescience and Metal Work.

Girls outshone boys in six subjects, including metal work which is considered a predominantly male field.

There were 23,192 more female candidates in 2018 compared to 2017 and an analytic review of KCSE candidature trends for the last five years showed a steady annual increase in the number of girls registering for the exam.

Girls performed better in languages (English and Kiswahili), CRE, Home Science, Art and Design and metal work.

Then Education CS Amina Mohammed said results of about 100 students were cancelled.

Marking of exams ended on December 15 and released on December 21.  110 people were arrested for cheating and four candidates de-registered for impersonation.

There were 10, 078 examination centres across the country last year.