NAIROBI: Private secondary schools in Mombasa recorded the best performance in Coast region in last year’s KCSE examination results.

Government institutions including newly elevated national schools trailed the private schools.

Mombasa’s Light Academy, Sheikh Khalifa and Abu Hureira Academy emerged tops in the region.

Most public schools said they had not received their results by time of going to Press save for Bura Girls Secondary School, a national school in Taita Taveta County, which returned a mean score of 8.1 points from 91 candidates.

Female candidates posted some of the best results with Sheikh Khalifa’s Ahlam Abdulaziz Mohamed scoring grade A of 84 points. Hawa Abdalla Omar of Abu Hureira Academy scored an A of 82 points.

As celebrations broke out in Mombasa’s private schools, the mood in public secondary schools was low, with school heads either claiming they had not computed all scores or openly saying they could not discuss private results with unauthorised people.

Light Academy, a private institution in the upmarket Nyali area sponsored by Turkish philanthropic group Omeriye Foundation, had 29 candidates who scored a mean grade of 10.86 marks.

This was an improved score for the school, as it had a mean score of 9.96 in 2014.

The school’s top candidates Kevin Ouma and Omar Hassan attained grade A of 82 marks.

The institution’s deputy principal, Maika Mohamed, attributed the good results to the dedication, hard work and commitment of both the teachers and students.

“We offer holistic education, and we are proud to have adequate equipment that compliment learning,” he said, adding that as an institution they cherish hard work.

“In our institution, we believe hard work pays and do not tolerate laziness at all costs,” Mr Maika said.

Another former student, Stephen Oyoo, 18, who scored an A– grade said he was confident of excelling.

“We worked as a team and prepared well enough and remained confident,” Oyoo who aspires to become a software engineer said.

At Sheikh Khalifa, Ahlam Abdulaziz Mohamed emerged the top student with  A of 84 marks.

“I am happy with my performance and would like to pursue a career in medicine,” said Ms Mohamed.

At Abu Hureira Academy students and teachers led by their Principal Salim Ali were elated. The school’s top student Hawa Omar scored grade A of 82 marks. 

— Additional stories by: Ishaq Jumbe, Tobias Chanji and Joseph Masha