Revealed: Best schools in KCSE exam

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha (right) receives the KCSE 2019 results from Chair of Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) John Onsati. Looking on are acting CEO of Kenya National Examinations Council Mercy Karogo (from left), CEO of Teachers Service Commission Nancy Macharia and Ministry of Education PS Dr Belio Kipsang during the release of the results at the KNEC Headquarters, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Kisima Mixed Secondary School in Nyandarua County posted an impressive mean score of 10.05 to emerge third-best nationally, only behind two known giants in KCSE exam results.

Kenya High School, a traditional giant, scooped top honours nationally with a mean score of 10.46. With 315 candidates, 76 posted As to rank the school first even in the number of the top grades.

Kapsabet Boys is ranked second nationally with a mean score of 10.11. The school that had 379 candidates and 49 candidates scored A.

Analysis by The Standard reveals that Alliance Boys, which had 423 candidates posted a mean score of 10.019 to rank fourth nationally. The school produced 48 As.

Alliance Girls and Mary Hill Girls, both in Kiambu County, tied at position five with a mean score of 9.92. The two schools, which had 396 and 337 candidates respectively, produced 27 and 25 As in that order.

Moi High School, Kabarak of Nakuru County and Strathmore School of Nairobi County each posted a mean score of 9.88 to tie at position six.

Overall, public schools dominated the chart of top schools according to a list compiled by The Standard.

In Nairobi region, Pangani Girls, Nairobi School and Riara Springs are notable good performers.

In Rift Valley, Anestar Boys High in Nakuru County, Moi Tea Girls, Segero Adventist and Litein emerged top schools.

In western, Friends School Kamusinga in Bungoma and Bunyore Girls of Vihiga emerged tops. In Nyanza, Maseno, Maranda, Agoro Sare School, Kanga and Pope Benedict Semianry in Kisii ranked tops.

In Coast, Memon Academy, Qabaa Muslim and Istiqama Academy ranked among best.

In central, Muranga High School, Kagumo, Bishop Gatimu Ngandu, Damacrest, Nkubu High School and Limuru Girls are some of the notable good performers.

A total of 627 candidates scored grade A plain as 5,796 managed A­–. Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) data further reveals that some 13,366 scored B+ as 24,478 scored B plain. Some 35,340 scored B– while 46,139 posted C+.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said there was a significant improvement in the results compared to the last three years when reforms to curb cheating were introduced, causing performance to dip. This year, the number of candidates scoring the top A grade has doubled and the student qualifying for admission to university has risen by 35,000  to 125,000 compared to last year.

“As proof that our reforms are coming of age, today I will be releasing results that show marked improvement in performance compared to those of the last three years. This is indeed a confirmation that our teachers are now preparing candidates better and the learners can now engage in studies knowing their performance depends on an individual input,” Magoha said.