Kenya High School posted a mean score of 10.467 to top nationally in this year’s KCSE examinations and also produced the highest number of A students.
However, Buluma Tony Wabuko of Kapsabet Boys High School posted 87.159 points to emerge the best candidate nationally, while Barasa Maryanne Njeri of Kenya High came second with 87.087 points.
Aboge David Odhiambo of Kapsabet Boys was third with 87.080 points. Antonny Owuor Ochieng of Maseno School posted 87.0 points, while Mathuri Natasha Wawira of Kenya High scored 86.961 to close the top five slots nationally.
Other candidates listed in the top 10 best nationally are Kizito Ezra Sikuta of Moi High School, Kabarak, Long’ali Chepengat of Alliance Girls and Ndathi Hellen Njoki of Kenya High School.
Siele Chekleng’at Aileen of Moi Forces Academy Lanet and Laura Chelangat Ruto of St Brigid’s Kiminini closed the top 10 cream.
The number of candidates who scored grade A doubled while students who attained the minimum university entry grade of C+ rose by 35,000 compared to last year, highlighting the general improvement in performance.
Best students
Kenya High School produced three candidates in the top 10 best students nationally.
Releasing this year’s KCSE results, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said Kenya High School produced 76 As, followed by Kapsabet Boys (49), Alliance High (48), Moi High School Kabarak (30) and Alliance Girls (27).
MaryHill School had 25 As while Maseno School, Nairobi School and Mangu High tied with 23 As each. Moi Girls School Eldoret closed the top 10 list with 21 As.
The Standard learnt that these were the top schools even on mean score.
Prof Magoha said this year’s results that saw girls outshine boys are the best in four years since reforms in education started.
“Since we reformed the system of administering the examinations, candidates have settled down to working hard on their own – under the leadership of their teachers – to prepare for examinations,” Prof Magoha said.
He said the number of candidates attaining the highest overall mean Grade (A plain) in the KCSE examination rose from 315 candidates in 2018 to 627 this year.
Similarly, the number of candidates attaining the Mean Grade of A- (minus) shot up to 5,796 from 3,417 last year.
Overall, the number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above in this year is 125,746 compared with 90,377 last year.
Magoha directed Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) to immediately put in place mechanisms to start placing the 2019 KCSE examination candidates in the various courses they are qualified for.
The CS also said this year’s results show candidates who scored lower marks in KCPE had improved to register quality grades.
Overall, female candidates performed better than their male counterpartsin English, Kiswahili, CRE, Home Science, Art and Design, German and Kenya Sign Language.
Magoha said candidates improved in 16 subjects compared to 14 subjects last year.
“Eleven subjects recorded a significant decline in performance in 2019 compared with 12 in 2017. There was no significant change in performance in three subjects,” Magoha said.
He singled out English, Kiswahili, chemistry, biology and physics as some of the critical subjects where performance significantly shot up in 2019 compared with 2018.
He said cases of cheating have significantly gone down with only 1,309 examination results withheld. Last year, some 4,519 candidates did not get their results over cases of cheating.
Notable cases of cheating were use of mobile phones, carrying unauthorised materials to examination rooms and collusion.
“This year, we have also withheld results for 658 candidates just for routine checks on small details, including accuracy of their names and registration details. These results will be released to candidates as soon as the verification process is completed,” Magoha said.
Finer details reveal that national schools produced less than a quarter of candidates who attained minimum university entry grades.
Data shows that national schools produced only 20,482 candidates who will join university.
Extra-county schools produced the most number of candidates qualifying for university entry at 47,949. County schools produced 16,895 while sub-county schools had 30,162. Private schools had 10,258 candidates qualifying to join universities.
Magoha yesterday advised parents against their insatiable appetite for national schools.
“Each year parents flock to top national schools to seek admission for these candidates. I wish to debunk this outdated myth,” Magoha said.
On gender enrollments, some 17 counties had more female than male candidates in the 2019 KCSE examination compared to 18 counties last year.
Meru, Vihiga, Kiambu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Murang’a, Machakos, Kitui, Taita Taveta, Makueni, Kirinyaga, Kakamega, Kwale and Nandi counties had more female candidates.
A total of 1,672 candidates with special needs sat this year’s examination compared to 1,499 in 2018.
Data shows that four candidates with special needs scored grade A-. Shamalla Colins of Aquinas High School, Harsh Bharatsinh of Namajanja High, Kyosi Andrew of S A School for the Blind and Roy Kipsotich of Tengecha Boys emerged the top cream under this category.
The highest number of candidates with special needs who sat the examination comprised those who were physically impaired (651).
“Four candidates in this category scored a mean grade of A- (minus) with 127 scoring a mean grade of C+ (plus) and above. Clearly, given a good environment, learners with special needs can excel in examinations,” he said.
Magoha yesterday announced that the national rollout of the new curriculum was on course and highlighted teacher training plans and distribution of books.
He said the ministry has printed and supplied Grade Four textbooks in 97 per cent of the counties with the remaining regions to be reached before schools open for the first term in January.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) announced training for some 106,320 teachers in preparation for the CBC Grade 4 rollout next month. By the end of the exercise, the country will have 228,000 teachers trained.
Magoha further announced that the government has scrapped certificate (P1) training for teachers in favour of diploma level training for new curriculum, which will start next year.
The CS said his ministry will also embark on a campaign to enroll all candidates who sat KCPE this year in Form One under the 100 per cent transition.
He asked all primary school head teachers to develop an inventory of the schools to which their 2019 candidates were placed and liaise with all relevant agencies and institutions to ensure they are enrolled in Form One.
Magoha insisted that the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) platform was on and discounted reports it had been dropped.
Nemis system
He commended Nemis system, saying it has helped the government to administer the medical insurance scheme for secondary school students, popularly called Edu Afya.
He said a total of 9,112 public secondary schools and 3,915 private schools have been captured under the Nemis system.
“I wish to ask all parents and teachers to take advantage of the simplified system of issuing birth certificates under the Ministry of Interior to register all learners,” he said.
Magoha said the system is now critical since the entire Form One admission process is conducted through the platform. “In January, we expect to capture daily real-time data on Form One reporting and enrollment thanks to the Nemis system,” Magoha said.
Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang called on school heads to provide data on students to enable fast release of capitation to schools.
The CS also announced that the process of identifying beneficiaries of the 9,000 scholarships targeting the poor candidates was underway.
He said needy students from the 110 sub-counties and 15 urban areas with informal settlements will be awarded the scholarships to join Form One next year.
