Knec withholds KCSE results of school linked to Kalonzo

Kiongwani Secondary School students celebrate after Onesmus Maundu Nzioka scored A of 81 points in the 2024 KCSE, in Makueni County, on January 10, 2025. [Stephen Nzioka, Standard]

All the 92 candidates who sat for KCSE at Mama Malia Academy, a school associated with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka have had their results withheld by the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec).

The private school is located in Tseikuru in Mwingi North and accommodates orphaned and vulnerable children.

It was established by the Kalonzo family in honor of his late mother; mama Malia.

An official at the school confirmed that the students’ fees is paid through the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation, and they were shocked by the turn of events.

“We have no results for our candidates and we don’t know what is happening. All the results have been withheld,” the school official said, adding that the former Vice President had reached out to Knec for clarification on the matter.

Meanwhile, Kitui High School, a national public school emerged top in the county by posting a mean grade of 8.89 with nearly 100 per cent transition to university.

Only four candidates did not qualify for university. St Anne’s Muthale Girls followed closely with a mean score of 8.79 with the third position going to St Charles Lwanga which posted 8.61 mean score as Kisasi Boys Secondary School recorded 8.17.

Other top performers in the county were St Angelas Girls (7.63), Kyuso Boys (7.64), Mbitini Girls (7.25) and Ikanga Boys (7.21).

However, it was all gloom and tears at Matinyani Boys, a Catholic sponsored institution after the school dropped from the top position to post 6.58 mean grade.

This came as a shocker to many given that in 2022 the school elbowed academic giants in the region to take the lead in the Ukambani region with a mean score of 9.94.

In 2022, the school beat academic giants like Kitui High, Machakos School and Makueni Boys High School.

All the 240 candidates who sat KCSE at Matinyani Boys qualified to join the University, with the last grade being B. Some 35 students scored A- (minus) and 156 B+ (plus).

However, trouble started after the 2023 KCSE results were withheld for months following allegations of cheating. The results were however later released, showing dismal performance.

In the 2023 KCSE exams, the school produced one A- (minus) with only five getting B+ (plus). A total of 153 candidates did not attain the university entry mark with 17 scoring D+ (plus).

In Machakos County, Kathiani Girls High, a national school, maintained a winning streak. The school posted a mean grade of 8.1 in 2024 KCSE examination.

The school chief principal Damaris Munyao said out of the 383 candidates who sat the examination last year, 351 managed to score over C+, translating to the highest number ever to qualify to university in the school’s history.

“We managed to grow our university transition from 285 in 2023 to 351 in 2024. Our focus now is to achieve a 100 percent transition to the university because that is the dream of all the students who enroll in this great institution,” the principal said.

St Francis Misyani Girls grabbed the second position according to the provisional results posted by the school’s academic dean, posting a mean grade of 8.03.

Some 220 candidates out of 259 who sat the 2024 KCSE examination are expected to join university after scoring C+ mean grade and above. Two candidates scored A while nine scored A-.

At Machakos School, 437 out of 598 students attained university entry marks, with the school posting a mean of 7.70.

The school recorded eight A and another 46 A-, the best performance not witnessed in nearly three decades.

However, it was sad news for Mumbuni High School, a top county school which dropped after posting a mean grade of 5.5 down from 6.7 registered in 2023.

The school appeared to be paying for the numerous cases of unrest that disrupted its academic calendar in the third term.

Other top performers included Matungulu Girls and Kabaa High School which posted 7.6 and 7.4 mean score respectively.

In Makueni County, a student who scored A at Kiongwani Secondary School, is celebrating after securing a job at the school.

Onesmus Maundu Nzioka will be engaged to inspire the students as he awaits to join university.

The school principal Cosmas Kyengo announced on Friday the student’s appointment during a special mass ceremony to celebrate the good performance.

“Having posted such good grades puts this little known school on the national map. I will be pursuing medicine at the University of Nairobi which has always been my dream career,” said Nzioka.

Another student from a poor background who beat all odds to post good grades in Makueni is Martin Kyaula Kamwethya.

The student who struggled with fees at Iuani Secondary School in Makueni County stunned the teachers by breaking a performance record set 21 years ago.

Martin Kyaula Kamwethya joined the league of KCSE stars in the country by scoring a mean grade of A– at the little-known sub-county school.

“Since my days in primary school, I have always wanted to study hard to eradicate the poverty in our home. That is what made me focus on my studies. I prayed hard to do well. My mother and teachers also motivated me through my studies. I am contemplating studying either medicine or aeronautical engineering in university,” Martin told Saturday Standard on Friday

At 79 points, Martin beat Gideon Ndambuki, the current chairman of the school board of management who sat for KCSE in 2003.

The Iuani school community was elated over the good performance in the hilly Mbooni region.

The principal Mary Kikuvi said the performance came as a surprise since the student who was a  day scholar had a serious fee problem which saw him spend a lot of time at home.

“Towards the end of Form Two we realised that he is not able to afford fees because the mother is not in gainfully employment. At that point, as the school administrators we agreed to stop sending him home for school fees and devised a way of maintaining him in school. The teachers used to chip in," said Ms Kikuvi.

"However, I told him that he has to commit to score an A in KCSE otherwise he should prepare to clear all arrears. A Good Samaritan came calling while he was in Form Four. He cleared his Form Four fees. He was hard working and highly disciplined. He was our head boy. He has brought the school a lot of honor," she added.

Charles Mutahi, a prominent businessman in Kajiado Town who sponsored Martin to complete secondary school studies, said he was impressed by his hard work and discipline.

“Since God has enabled us to be comfortable in life, we decided to make someone else comfortable in life. We went back to Iuani Secondary School where my wife, Pauline Mbinya, schooled and identified a bright and needy student. His studies were in jeopardy. We thank God he has not failed us,” Mutahi said in an interview.

 “While speaking to him alongside other candidates ahead of the exams, I had promised some Sh10,000 if he broke my record. I am glad he has pocketed the money. We also offered monetary rewards to anyone who scored A in various subjects. He has pocketed more money in that category too. Martin’s performance is motivating to the other students. Since he has broken the ceiling we set up in 2003, the other students now have room to go to the sky. As a result of the good performance, we expect increased enrollment,” Mr Ndambuki said.