2025 KCSE by the numbers

Education CS Julius Ogamaba (centre), PS Julius Bitok (right) and KNEC CEO David Njengere. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]  

A total of 993,226 candidates sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination compared to 962,512 in 2024, representing a 3.19 per cent increase, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said.

Speaking on Friday, January 9, during the release of results at AIC Chebisas Boys High School in Eldoret, Ogamba said the number of candidates scoring an overall mean grade A increased to 1,932, up from 1,693 in 2024.

Female candidates outnumbered male candidates for the second consecutive year, with 501,214 girls (50.46 per cent) and 492,012 boys (49.54 per cent) taking the exam.

"This moment stands as both a culmination of a long-standing tradition and the dawn of a new era, affirming our collective commitment to assessments that not only measure achievement but also nurture the competencies required for the future," said the CS. 

University entry

The number of candidates qualifying for direct university entry with a mean grade of C+ and above rose to 270,715 (27.18 per cent) from 246,391 (25.53 per cent) in 2024.

Candidates attaining grade C- (minus) and above numbered 507,131 (50.92 per cent), up from 476,889 (49.41 per cent) the previous year.

National schools produced the highest number of grade A candidates at 1,526, followed by extra county schools with 197 and private schools with 185. Sub-county schools surpassed county schools in the C+ and above category, with 72,699 and 36,600 candidates, respectively.

Further, KNEC has cancelled the results for 1,180 candidates found to have engaged in examination irregularities.

Performance by subject

Seventeen subjects recorded significant performance improvement, similar to 2024, while 11 subjects showed a decline compared to 10 subjects in the previous year.

Female candidates outperformed male candidates in six subjects: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and  Design.

Male candidates performed better in 11 subjects, including Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, General Science, History and Government, and Geography.

Performance remained comparable between genders in seven subjects: Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic, and Music.

The number of candidates aged 16 years and below increased to 26,391 from 20,546 in 2024. The majority of candidates, 716,048, fell within the ages of 17 to 19 years.

Ten counties registered significantly more male than female candidates, led by Garissa at 66.2pc male representation, Mandera at 65.09 per cent, and Wajir at 60.10 per cent.

Fourteen counties recorded higher numbers of female candidates, with Vihiga leading, followed by Elgeyo Marakwet and Kisumu. Twenty-three counties achieved near-perfect gender parity.

The 2025 intake marks the third-to-last cohort to undertake KCSE under the 8-4-4 system as the country transitions to Competency-Based Assessment (CBA).

Ogamba noted the government employed a record 100,000 teachers since 2023, with 24,000 recruited this year and 25,000 promoted.

The government also constructed 23,000 classrooms in the 2024/2025 financial year to support the transition of the first Grade 9 cohort and plans to build 1,600 laboratories in senior schools this year.

The government has released Sh44.2 billion as capitation for learners in public basic education institutions, marking the first time in over 10 years that the funds were disbursed before schools opened.

Candidates can now access individual results online through the Kenya National Examinations Council website at results.knec.ac.ke using their index number and registered name.