Faith Kawee Mumo, the girl who emerged first in the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education sees herself being a neurosurgeon.

Mumo from KARI-Mwailu Primary School, Makueni County, scored 433 marks to emerge the winner out of the over 1.1 million candidates who sat the exam.

She led two other girls who scooped the first top three positions.

Out of the 15 top overall performers, girls took eight slots with their male counterparts taking the other seven slots.

In an interview with KTN News anchor Mary Kilobi Atwoli, Mumo said she would be delighted to join the Kenya High School for her secondary education.

She said humility and obedience were her secrets for success.

Faith Mumo, who emerged as the top 2020 KCPE candidate with 433 marks. [Courtesy]

“I am happy to have emerged the top candidate. I aimed at scoring at least 450 marks but did not expect to be the top,” she said.

According to her, the God she prays, her parents and friends have been great pillars and played a great supporting role in her studies.

“It is about involving God in whatever you do. With humility and self-belief, everything is possible. It is still shocking to me but I am happy that I maned to be the top candidate,” she said.

Wesonga Nanzala and Muriithi Angel Gakenia scored 432 marks to tie in the second position.

Wanyonyi Samuel and Castro Williams tied in fourth place with 431 marks followed by Tarus Jepkemboi Maureen and Kipkirui Abiud with 430 marks.

Mwangi Margaret Waruguru, Bernice Omondi and Kiogora Joyce Nkatha tied with 429 marks.

While announcing the results on Thursday at the Kenya National Examination Council headquarters in Nairobi, Education CS George Magoha said the overall performance in the 2020 KCPE improved compared to 2019.

“Although the mark of the highest candidate dropped from 440 to 433 in 2020, the mean average performance and quality of grades for all candidates are higher,” he said.

Magoha said for example, whereas 1,393 candidates scored between 01 and 99 marks in the 2019 KCPE, that number went down to only 307 in the 2020 KCPE.

This, he said was an indicator that most candidates scored better grades than the previous year.

Some 1,179,192 candidates sat the examination in 28,460 centres across the country.

The CS said all the candidates qualify to be admitted to secondary schools.

Of these candidates, 590,450 (50.07%) were boys and 588,742 (49.93%) girls compared to 1,083,456 candidates who sat the examination in 2019.

Magoha also disclosed that Isiolo, Meru, Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, Nairobi, Kwale, Elgeyo Marakwet, Siaya, Tharaka Nithi, Kisii, Kisumu, Bungoma, Kilifi, Lamu, Bomet, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Makueni and Migori topped the counties which had the highest number of female candidates compared to male.

Magoha, however, said some 12,424 candidates an equivalent of 1.04 per cent missed to sit the exams due to absenteeism.