Underage candidate numbers up by 4,000

Candidates of Rockfield School with 52 pupils scoring above 400 marks celebrate after the release of the KCPE results. [David Gichuru, Standard]

The number of underage candidates who sat this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination increased to 20,086 from 15,747 in 2018 – a difference of 4,339.

The counties that had the highest number of underage candidates, who are classified as those below age 14, are Bungoma (1,770), Bomet (1,111) and Kericho (1,144).

Meanwhile, those with the highest number of overage candidates, classified as those who are 19 years and above, are Turkana (4,013), Garissa (1,957) and Kilifi (3,716) counties.

While releasing the results in Nairobi yesterday, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha noted that female candidates performed better than their male counterparts in English, Kiswahili and Kenya Sign Language. Boys, however, outdid the girls in mathematics, science and social studies, and religious education.

Additionally, teenage pregnancies went down to 10 this year from 50 in last year’s exams. Prof Magoha said his ministry, through its field officers and stakeholders, mounted a robust awareness campaign across the country to reverse the negative trend.

“I am happy to state that this campaign helped the country, as the number of reported cases drastically reduced this year,” the CS said.

At total of 2,407 candidates with special needs sat this year’s exams. The first candidate in this category scored 414 out of 500 marks. Another 211 candidates in this category scored between 300 and 400 marks.

Magoha said the ministry would continue to implement interventions that will enhance special needs children’s access to education.

Special needs

“The government will launch the National Psycho-Education Assessment and Research Centre at the Kenya Institute of Special Education to further ensure we have necessary facilities to make learning easier for our special needs children,” he said.

Further, only four candidates were disqualified over cheating this year.

“It is evident from the administration of this year’s KCPE exams that all the traditional forms of cheating have been wiped out,” said Magoha.

“The measures we have taken in the administration of exams have continued to help us to nip in the bud some of the cases that would have led to cheating.”