How scramble for national schools is exposing deep educational gaps

Students during Grade 10 admission at Kisumu Boys High School. [Michael Mute, Standard] 

As placement of learners into senior secondary schools begins mid-year, fresh data from the 2025 KCSE results is exposing uncomfortable truths about the cost, equity, and outcomes of Kenya’s most prestigious national schools.

While national and extra-county schools continue to dominate public imagination as centres of excellence, performance figures reveal that thousands of learners in these high-cost institutions failed to meet university entry requirements, raising questions about value for money and fairness in admissions.

According to the 2025 KCSE results, at least 6,604 students from national schools will not transition to university after failing to attain the minimum C+ required for degree programmes. An even larger number, 88,764 learners from extra-county schools, also fell short.

National schools produced 2,955 candidates with grades ranging from C plain to E, including 1,654 C–, 851 D+, 476 D, 495 D– and 173 E. Extra-county schools recorded 37,276 C plain, 29,309 C–, 9,557 D+, 9,982 D, 2,505 D– and 115 E. “This is a tough reality to justify. How do you reconcile the cost of producing an E in a national school compared to a sub-county school?” asks education policy expert Majani Baridi. He notes that national schools, with strong alumni networks and government support, are expected to produce the cream of society.

Ironically, sub-county and county schools, often seen as second-tier, will send 109,299 students to university. Sub-county schools alone produced 72,699 learners with C+ and above, while county schools recorded 36,600. Sub-county schools posted 18 As, 507 A–, 477 B+, 11,252 B, 22,485 B– and 34,960 C+. County schools also posted strong results, including six A plain, 239 A–, 1,708 B+, 5,418 B, 11,166 B– and 18,063 C+.

Experts argue these outcomes expose flaws in admissions into national schools, where prestige and influence often outweigh merit. “Thousands of bright students are still at home unable to join senior schools of their choice,” notes lecturer Philip Amuyunzu of Masinde Muliro University.

Parents with financial means are also securing places in national schools, even for children with low marks. “This creates a divide, with Es appearing in national schools,” says Silas Obuhatsa, National Parents Association chairman.

National schools are perceived to offer superior infrastructure, laboratories, and enough Teachers Service Commission-employed teachers. Yet experts argue that without merit-based entry, these advantages do not guarantee performance. “If facilities and governance are right, children will perform anywhere,” says Egara Kabagi, Mount Kigali University VC.

Matungulu Girls High School in Machakos demonstrates this. Of 303 candidates, 254 will join university, producing two A plains, 15 A–, 36 B+, 66 B, 75 B– and 61 C+. “These results show what focused leadership and stable learning environments can achieve,” said principal J. Musaba.

Nationally, 270,715 learners attained C+ and above, including 1,932 A plain, 9,336 A–, 23,990 B+, 50,215 B, 80,681 B– and 104,561 C+. National schools contributed 1,526 of the As, extra-county 197, and private schools 185, challenging the narrative that excellence is exclusive to national institutions.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said 634,082 candidates, or 63.67 per cent, attained D+ and above, while 359,144 scored D, D– or E. He noted that sub-county schools performed strongly in middle bands, reinforcing calls to rethink the obsession with boarding and prestige.

Teacher Martha Omollo urges a national conversation on education’s return on investment, boarding costs, and depoliticising admissions. “What matters is entry behaviour, governance, and resources. Education should focus on equity and outcomes, not status,” she said.