Pangani and Alliance top in Nairobi as girls beat boys

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed before the release of KCSE results at State House, Nairobi, on Friday. Present were Education PS Belio Kipsang (right), Kenya National Examination Council chairman George Magoha (second right), Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia (third left) and Knec CEO Mercy Karogo. [PSCU]

Otieno Irine Juliet of Pangani Girls is the top girl nationally after posting grade A with a mean score of 87.64 points.

Kaluna James of Maseno School who posted a mean score of 87.39 points is second best candidate nationally.

He is followed by Edwin Otieno Ouko of Light Academy who got a mean score of 87.36. Kamweru Mwangi Duncan of Moi High School Kabarak posted a mean score of 87.28 to emerge fourth nationally.

Humphrey Rasugu of Maseno School closes the list of top five candidates nationally with a mean score of 87.28.

Other top performers are Mel Christine with a mean score of 87.27, Njenga Brian Ndungu (87.25), Osogo Monyenye Wesley (87.17), Nyakea Moraa Shalyn (87.16) and Onyando Roy Ochieng (87.10).

There are seven boys among the top ten candidates and public schools have produced eight of the top 10 with private schools getting two.

Scooped the eight slots

Pangani Girls, Maseno School, Alliance Girls High School, Mangu high school, Alliance High School, Moi Girls Nairobi and Maranda High School are the eight public schools.

Light Academy and Moi High School Kabarak are the only private schools that produced candidates in the top 10 category.

Overall, Strathmore School is top nationally, followed by Alliance High school, Alliance Girls School and Light Academy in that order.

Other top schools nationally are Orero Boys’ Secondary School, Kapsabet Boys, Kabarak High School and Moi Tea Secondary School.

Interestingly, Strathmore School does not have a candidate among the top 100 nationally.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed termed the results a major improvement from last year.

“The number of candidates attaining the highest overall Mean Grade (A Plain) in the KCSE examination rose from 142 in 2017 to 315 in the 2018 KCSE examination,” Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed while releasing the results in Nairobi yesterday.

A total of 3,417 candidates scored A– (minus), 8,268 managed B+ and 16,403 scored B plain.

Another 26,156 candidates attained B– with some 35,818 scoring C+.

“Overall, the number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of grade C+ and above is 90,377 compared to 70, 073 in the 2017 KCSE examination,” Amina said.

Some 1,499 candidates with special needs sat the 2018 KCSE compared to 1,407 in 2017. Kenya National Examination Council data reveals that three of the students scored A–. Six managed B+, eight scored B and 35 got B-. 

Most improved

Another 36 candidates with special needs scored C+. Overall, 88 candidates with special needs scored the minimum university entry grade of C+ and above.

The ministry analysis revealed that candidates who scored low marks in KCPE examinations four years ago managed higher grades in KCSE.

Wambui James Kamau who got 186 marks in KCPE examinations scored B– of 40.31 mean score in KCSE examinations. He sat KCPE in a private school.

The most improved candidate was Kamau Josephat Mwangi who scored 278 marks in KCPE but managed A– in KCSE.

Kyulu Richard who scored 257 marks in KCPE scored B+ in KCSE and Maingi George Mburu who scored 279 marks in KCPE got a B+.

Cheruyiot Gideon scored 209 marks in KCPE but managed grade B in KCSE.

“This is clear evidence that candidates who may perform poorly in KCPE can perform excellently in KCSE despite of their low marks,” Amina said.

The CS said the analysis now provides clear evidence that the government’s 100 per cent transition to secondary schools is a brilliant policy that will give a second chance to candidates who may have performed poorly in KCPE.

The results also saw candidates’ performance in various subjects improve compared to last year. Some 14 subjects recorded a significant improvement in performance, compared to 13 subjects in 2017.

Amina said that 12 subjects recorded a significant decline in performance in 2018 compared to 13 in 2017. “Female candidates performed better the male candidates in English, Kiswahili, CRE, Home Science, Art and Design and Metal Work,” said Amina said.

But even with the good performance, the CS said that results of some 100 candidates have been cancelled.

“We have also withheld results of some centres. These centres will be notified of this decision as soon as the results are released,” she said.

Although Knec chairman George Magoha said no examinations leaked, he admitted that there were cases of early exposure.

Examination irregularities included impersonation, possession of unauthorised materials in some examination centres and collusion.

Amina said most of these cases were detected and dealt with on the spot thereby preserving the integrity of the examination.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia announced that 66 cases of teachers not conforming to and violating examination regulations were registered.

“Five teachers have been interdicted for offences associated with non-compliance to examination procedures,” Mrs Macharia said.

She said further investigations are going on in the other cases. “We will ensure the cases are concluded within the shortest time possible.”

80,000 teachers took part in the different aspects of the examination, including centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and examiners.

Commending Knec and teachers for a job well done, Amina attributed the marked improvement in examinations to better implementation of gaps cited in previous administration exercise.

The CS said candidates attempted all the questions comprehensively compared to last year.

“We all took our lessons learnt seriously and implemented various recommendations on examinations management,” she said.

“Most candidates’ answers to questions requiring elaborate responses were inadequately tackled last year.”

She noted that many candidates failed in most papers because they had inadequate depth and could not apply the syllabus critically while answering questions.

“Based on this year’s results, these gaps appear to have been addressed,” Amina said.

The CS also said that Knec printed and distributed the annual KCSE examination reports and dispatched them early to schools. “The import of this was that candidates and teachers were able to diagnose the difficult areas in their curriculum much earlier.”

Gender parity gap

She announced that the Education Ministry carried out a countrywide pre-examination monitoring exercise that started in the second term.

Amina explained that candidates were sensitised on the need to work hard and cover the syllabus on time.

“It is clear that the majority of the candidates heeded our advice and prepared for the examinations adequately leading to the improvement we are about to see today.”

The CS attributed the good performance to countrywide educational quality dialogues in all the 47 counties.

She said the exercise provided an opportunity for TSC, Knec and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to sensitise education stakeholders on areas that needed urgent attention.

She also announced that the examination results have exposed the efforts of the Education Ministry to bridge the gender parity gap.

18 counties of Taita Taveta, Kwale, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, Kitui, Meru, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega, Vihiga and Kisumu had more female candidates than male.

Last year, only 17 counties had higher enrolment. And this year, more candidates within the ideal age bracket of 19 and 20 years registered for the examinations.  

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