A total of 1, 233, 852 candidates sat the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has revealed.
The top candidate this year scored 431 marks out of 500.
Marks Distribution
At least 9,443 candidates scored 400 marks and above, while 307,756 pupils scored 300-399 marks, accounting for 24 per cent of the candidates.
Some 619, 593 learners got 200-299 marks.
296,336 others managed 100-199 marks out of 500, while seven hundred and twenty-four pupils scored between 01-99 marks.
According to Machogu, 620,965 candidates were boys accounting for 50.32 per cent of total candidates, while 612,887 candidates were girls, representing 49.7 per cent.
This, the CS said showed that the country has achieved gender parity at the primary school level.
Special Needs Learners
Seven special needs learners scored between 400-500 marks, while two hundred and ninety-six special needs pupils got between 300-399 marks.
Eight hundred and thirty-eight special needs pupils scored between 200-299 marks.
1,270 others scored between 100-199 marks and six special needs learners got between 01-99 marks.
Girls Vs Boys Performance
In the 2022 KCPE, female candidates performed better than their male counterparts in three languages among them English, Kiswahili, and Sign language.
Male candidates performed better than female candidates in Maths, Science, Social Studies, and Religious Education.
Four counties recorded more male than female candidates this year. They are Turkana, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera.
Marsabit, Isiolo, and Meru counties had a higher entry of more female than male candidates.
Some one hundred and forty-seven candidates (147) sat the exam while in hospital.
Four papers recorded an improved performance this year compared to 2021 KCPE. They are English, Kiswahili language, Kiswahili Insha, and Sign language.
The Education CS further noted that six papers dropped in performance compared with 2021, including English composition, Maths, Science, Social Studies and Religious Education.
Age profiles
The number of registered candidates who were 12 years and below declined from 33,627 (2.74 per cent) in 2021 to 31,498 (2.53 per cent) in 2022.
The counties which had the highest percentage entry for candidates who were 12 years and below include: Baringo, Wajir, Kericho, Bomet, and West Pokot.
Machogu noted that the highest number of candidates were in the appropriate age bracket of 13-15 years, a trend that has been replicated in the last five years.
The counties which had the highest percentage of candidates who were 18 years and above were Garissa, Turkana, Kilifi, Kwale and Mandera.
